Manchester United and City reject invitation to play youth teams in Football League Trophy, four substitutes to be permitted in FA Cup ties and Reading’s literal kit launch…

Posted on July 27, 2016 in The Offside Daily

1. Premier League clubs including Manchester United and Liverpool have rejected an invitation from the Football League to have their Under 21 teams entered into the new format of the Football League Trophy, formerly known as the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy.

2. Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has allegedly banned players who are overweight from taking part in the club’s pre-season training sessions.

3. In a historic decision by the Football Association, clubs will be permitted to make four substitutions during a game in the coming season’s FA Cup for the first time.

4. One Arsenal fan is so confident of the Gunners signing Leicester City midfielder Riyad Mahrez that he has had the Algerian playmaker’s name printed on the back of his shirt (IrishExaminer).

5. During a promotional stunt for Budweiser, Paris Saint Germain’s former Manchester United flop Ángel di María scored in a goal on one boat with a shot taken from another (Metro).

6. Peruvian side Alianza Atlético have taken what could possibly be the worst penalty ever as their attempt to recreate that Lionel Messi and Luis Suárez routine went comically wrong (WhoAteAllThePies).

7. Maybe the Alianza players should take a leaf out of NBA player Nikola Mirotić’s book, as he deliciously chipped his penalty beyond Chelsea and Belgium international Thibaut Courtois (DailyStar).

8. You have to feel sorry for Reading fans; there can’t be too many sets of supporters who have to put up with as many embarrassing publicity stunts as the Royals do. First, there was the toe-curlingly awful song written by the chairman’s wife, and now they have unveiled their new away shirt by sending it into space (UKSoccerway).

9. And finally…Indian Super League team FC Pune City announced the signing of former Charlton and Middlesbrough midfielder André Bikey as if he was a Pokémon Go character (Twitter).

By Chris Horricks (@chrishorricks31).