Richard Scudamore does not believe Barclays Premier League rules do - or should - prevent Sir Alex Ferguson from fielding a weakened team against Hull on Sunday.

Manchester United face Barcelona in the Champions League final on Wednesday and, having already wrapped up the domestic title, Ferguson is expected to rest the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney and Nemanja Vidic.

That could have ramifications at the bottom of the table as Hull are still battling with Sunderland, Newcastle and Middlesbrough to avoid relegation on the last day of the season.

Under Premier League rules, teams are obliged to field their strongest possible team but Scudamore feels that requirement is outdated.

He told BBC Radio 5 Live: "That's a rule that's been there forever and it's been in every competition: it's also in the Carling Cup, the FA Cup.

"That was a rule that predates the squad system.
"I'm not saying that rule cannot be broken, I'm sure it can: I'm sure it can if the team doesn't try, if the team was just people you'd never heard of and it was all people drafted in on the day then there is a place for that rule to be applied.

"You can't alter the fact they've won the league and they've got the most significant game the following Wednesday against Barcelona.

"You have to be realistic: they've got a squad - everyone says the strength of that squad is what won them the league - and therefore you can't argue that they deploy the benefit of that squad in a game on Sunday."

Barcelona, who have already secured a league and cup double in Spain, face a similar situation on Saturday as they host Osasuna, who are above the relegation zone only by virtue of their superior head-to-head record to Sporting Gijon.

Coach Pep Guardiola has already stated he intends to rest his stars.

He said this week: "My thinking is that a lot of the players will not play until the final in Rome.

"I don't want to take any risks, especially taking into account the number of players we already have out.

"It helps us to have won the league as early as possible so we can disconnect a little and then switch back on for the final."

There has been talk of legal action should Hull secure their safety by beating a weakened United side, but Scudamore believes such speculation is fanciful.

He said: "It's a game. You can't go there. It would always sadden any of us if it ends at that but it's very hard to see how it could possibly end in that."

Whatever side Ferguson chooses, Scudamore still believes United will be going all out for the win.

He said: "Ours is the league that they say is the honest one, ours is the league where everybody goes out every match and wants to win - and you've seen that this last weekend the way Liverpool played against West Brom on Saturday and what Portsmouth did the other night against Sunderland.

"Manchester United have got a big squad. They are the most professional of professional football clubs and they will put out a team on Sunday that absolutely is capable of, will want to and could go out and do their absolute best."