Prem clubs told refs’ dietary needs for game days – with sandwiches off the menu

It's no longer just Premier League players who will have to adhere to a strict diet after England's top-flight teams were served fresh instruction on how to plate up referees.

And it's bad news for those officials who are fans of sandwiches, nuts or other 'high-fibre foods', all of which have been banned from the pre-game menu. And it doesn't take a professional dietician to work out why certain carbohydrates have been deemed a no-go before kick-offs.

Instead, teams have been encouraged to provide fresh fruit, rice cakes or certain approved breakfast bars like 'Nakd' or 'KIND'. The Daily Mail reported the initiative has been pushed by Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL), with former Manchester United doctor Steve McNally believed to be one of its key orchestrators.

It's far from being bad news for the referees, however, who will now be untitled to a full massage before every game, with the home team footing the bill. After all, cramp and other issues can easily crop up in a profession where it's commonplace to clock up between six and eight miles.

READ MORE: Alexis Mac Allister gets three-game ban overturned as Liverpool win red card appeal

As for what officials can look forward to post-match, clubs have been told to prepare protein-rich meals featuring lean meats and fish. Stir-fried noodles and 'fishcakes with potato wedges' are also on the revised menu.

It's not exactly Jamie's School Dinners levels of food restriction, with plenty of appetising options still being promoted. However, it appears those in power have spotted ways in which a change of diet might improve standards.

What do you think of the new laws brought into the Premier League this season? Let us know in the comments section below.

Enforcing strict diets was once considered something of an abnormality even among players, with certain teams and managers more studious than others in regards to what foods they promoted. However, the 21st century has witnessed a boom in the science, and players are no longer the ones being whipped into top shape.

McNally – who won five Premier League crowns, a Champions League title and the FIFA Club World Cup at United between 2006 and 2022 – left Old Trafford after 16 years to take up a role as PGMOL's performance support director.

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Only two weeks into the new Premier League campaign, and already officials have found themselves in hot water for several high-profile gaffes. The team that oversaw Man United's 1-0 home win over Wolves were suspended from duty after failing to award a penalty against Red Devils goalkeeper Andre Onana in the game's closing stages.

More recently, Liverpool midfielder Alexis Mac Allister had his red card overturned after being sent off in Saturday's 3-1 win over Bournemouth. Perhaps a helping of carrot could be added to the menu to help promote better eyesight and avoid such controversial calls in the world's most watched competition.

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