Mikel Arteta lifts the Community Shield after Arsenal’s penalty shootout win over Man City at Wembley [Pedro Soares/SPP]

THE Premier League is finally back – and a number of rule changes for the new season mean fans may need to be flexible with their post-match arrangements.

Taking a cue from the 2022 World Cup, the matchday clock hitting in and around the 100-minute mark could well become a regular sight as referees look to clampdown on time-wasting.

The powers that be are also aiming to tackle dissent from both players and managers, so there will be even more cards flying about.

Another change will see any manager or club official who is sent off forced to go and watch the remainder of the game on the TVs in the dressing rooms, out of sight of the pitch, as they will no longer be allowed to sit in the stands.

The impact of some of these new rules and regulations was seen at Wembley on Sunday when Arsenal recorded a statement win over rivals Manchester City as they beat Pep Guardiola’s side on penalties to clinch the Community Shield.

Despite only being a friendly, referee Stuart Attwell managed to hand out five yellow cards, including one for Mikel Arteta. The Gunners boss was reprimanded after demanding a booking for City midfielder Rodri following a tackle on Kai Havertz, brandishing his own imaginary card in the process.

Promising that he will “adapt” to the new demands, Arteta said: “I cannot change my behaviour in three days. It’s a very difficult thing to do. We try our best, I try my best, I understand the rules.

“I understand where they are coming from, but we can get frustrated because sometimes we don’t understand what part of the technical area we are in, but it’s fine, we will adapt.”

Sharing his views on more minutes being added at the end of matches to deter teams from time-wasting, the Spaniard added: “At the end, it’s about effective time. I think it’s really good to do that, because it was going too far, I think, and now teams are going to have to think twice. Now we have to be prepared to play 100 minutes because it’s going to happen every single week.”

Arsenal will ignite their new Premier League campaign by welcoming Nottingham Forest to the Emirates Stadium for the Saturday lunchtime kick-off.

The Community Shield might only be seen as a trinket to some, but Arteta is hoping that the winning feeling that came with lifting the silverware on Sunday will put his players in the right mindset for what promises to be a long season ahead.

He said: “That’s why we are here – to win trophies for this football club and make it successful. Just the joy of seeing so many happy and proud people and the connection again, doing it for our supporters in Wembley, feels very different, and that’s great.

“I just wanted to grab that trophy as quickly as possible and then we can think about the next.

“But we know it’s football – you win a trophy today, but tomorrow you have to be training, you have to prepare for the Nottingham Forest game in the right way.

“It will be a very different game to this one [against Man City], a very difficult one as well and we know that we have to go day by day.

“Winning the Community Shield is great, it lifts us, the spirit, the belief and everything. We just want to play better and win games. That’s what we have to do.”