New added time approach here to stay – Premier League referee chief Howard Webb

Webb said the change was necessary as football gets to grips with the “dark arts” of time-wasting, with a more robust approach set to be taken to dealing with players who delay restarts in play.

The fourth official indicates 13 added minutes at the Sunderland v Ipswich game in the Championship last weekend (Richard Sellers/PA)

Premier League referees’ chief Howard Webb says the change in approach on added time is here to stay, despite early criticism from top-flight players and managers.

Referees in competitions worldwide have been instructed by the game’s lawmakers to measure time lost to stoppages more accurately, an approach first adopted at the World Cup in Qatar last year where an additional 11 minutes and six seconds were played on average in the group stage.