Aston Villa have been hit with with a hefty fine on the opening day of the Premier League season.
The Villains will have to pay up £125,000 after breaching a little-known Premier League rule for the fifth time.
It relates to the misuse of a system which is designed to keep matches in the top flight flowing freely.
They have now been banned from using the Premier League’s multiball system for their first three home fixtures of the season after five instances of misusing it last season.
The £125,000 fine means they have now paid a remarkable £305,000 in total for persistently breaking the rules since the start of the 2024-25 campaign.