EXTRA SUBS ARE A MUST, TO BE FRANK

THOMAS FRANK has urged the EFL and Premier League to take their heads out of the sand and reinstate the five sub rule.

The Brentford boss was a strong advocate of the idea for this season but it was voted down by the Premier League and EFL.

Now he has joined the likes of Pep Guardiola, Jurgen Klopp and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in calling for a U- turn to help protect players for the rest of a heavily- congested campaign.

The Bees ended a run of seven games in 21 days unable to evade Middlesbrough’s man- to- man marking. They will play every three to four days until the end of the year after the international break and Frank said: “It’s a challenging time regarding the fitness of players. I don’t know if we’ve got any further with the EFL and Premier League but I expect in two weeks’ time they will sort out that we have five subs.

“It must be the most conservative country in the world if they don’t change it. I think I need to ask them a polite question this week to see why they don’t do this.”

Neil Warnock reckons this Boro team is the best footballing side he has had in 40 years of management, but lacks “devilment in the final third”.

Boro have struggled for goals and could have snatched a win when Chuba Akpom turned on the edge of the box but blazed over the bar. Marcus Tavernier also went close ( above).

Vitaly Janet wasted Brentford’s best chance when he shot high from six yards out with the goal at his mercy.

BRENTFORD: Raya 6, Dalsgaard 5, Sorensen 6, Pinnock 7, Henry 6, Jensen 5, Janelt 6 ( Fosu 80), Dasilva 7, Mbeumo 6 ( Forss 67, 6), Toney 8, Canos 6 ( Ghoddos 74, 6) MIDDLESBROUGH: Bettinelli 6, Dijksteel 7, Mcnair 7, Fry 6, Bola 6, Tavernier 7, Howson 7, Wing 6, Spence 6, Akpom 6 ( Assombalonga 79, 5), Coulson 6 ( Johnson 79, 5) REFEREE: James Linington