PFA chief agrees with Manchester United's Raphael Varane that football is 'sleepwalking into disaster'

Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) chief executive Maheta Molango has agreed with Manchester United defender Raphael Varane over increased demands being placed upon players through new rules brought in for the new season.

Premier League matches are set to last comfortably longer than 100 minutes on average in the season ahead after referees in competitions worldwide were instructed by the game’s lawmakers to more accurately measure time lost to stoppages.

The approach was first adopted at the World Cup in Qatar last year where it was largely positively received, but Manchester City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne and United defender Varane have already highlighted the impact of such a move across a long domestic season.

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Clampdowns are also being enforced by officials with yellow cards handed out more readily as a result for certain offences. This includes players being booked for kicking the ball away after a foul has been given, and managers also potentially being penalised for dropping below standards expected on-field and in the technical area.

Varane has slammed new rules brought in and believes they are "damaging" the game. Despite a meeting recently being held with the FA, Varane believes players' views have not been heard on the changes and feels the schedule is already overcrowded and that these new rules will not help the matter.

PFA chief Molango believes other players will feel they have no option but to follow Varane’s lead after he retired from international football for France