Huddersfield Town are reportedly facing a fine after fielding a 'weakened side' against relegation-threatened Birmingham City.
Town head coach David Wagner made 10 changes to the side which started the midweek match against Wolves when the Terriers secured play-off football at the end of the campaign.
And Town slumped to a disappointing 2-0 defeat to a 10-man Birmingham side - inevitably leading Nottingham Forest and Blackburn Rovers fans to cry foul over Wagner's team selection.
An EFL Spokesman told Sky Sports: "We are aware of Huddersfield Town's team selection for their fixture at Birmingham City on Saturday and the EFL executive will be considering the matter on Tuesday.
"EFL rules state that all clubs are subject to the requirement to play their strongest side in all Sky Bet League matches unless some satisfactory reason is given.
"In the event of any explanation not being deemed satisfactory, the EFL board, at its discretion, can refer the matter to a disciplinary commission."
In reality this rule is broken numerous times every season, particularly by the stronger clubs. Managers rests key players in 'easier' games because they want them fit, healthy and rested for the crunch fixtures.
Surely wanting to preserve your key players for a play-off campaign should be deemed a satisfactory reason?
Town have the opportunity to play top flight football for the first time in 45 years next season, and their chances would be jeopardised if one of their key men was sidelined with an injury picked up in the final matches of the season.
The knee injury sustained by Philip Billing in the final knockings of the game at St Andrew's illustrates why Wagner was right to rest the likes of Aaron Mooy and Izzy Brown for the match in the Midlands.
In addition, Billing is well and truly a first team regular - as were all the other players selected by Wagner at the weekend.
Only one outfield player selected has made fewer than 10 appearances for the Terriers this season - left-back Tareiq Holmes-Dennis, who has nine. That must surely be a key factor in Town's defence.
Town made 10 changes to the side that beat Wolves, but it is not the first time there have been wholesale changes in Wagner's selection.
The head coach made five changes ahead of the Wolves match, five ahead of Town's trip to Forest and - ironically - seven changes from the 'first team' that faced Blackburn on New Years Eve to the one that faced Wigan in early January.
Had the Terriers won their match against Birmingham, no fans would have been calling for a fine and the "integrity of the league" would not be in question.
Is it the principle that's driving Forest and Blackburn to complain? Or simply the result?
And for Forest and Blackburn fans to be calling for sanctions because of that reason - to preserve the "integrity" of the Championship - is farcical.
I understand fans' frustrations that Town were unable to beat the Blues, but give the real reason why you want something to happen - because the result affects your team.
Football fans do not care about the "integrity of the league" - they care that their team might be relegated.
Huddersfield Town have 26 men registered in their first team squad, with every player other than Luke Coddington and Regan Booty making an appearance this season.
Birmingham City 2 Huddersfield Town 0
For the EFL to suggest Town can't use each one of these players as they see fit would be ridiculous.
If the Football League can dictate which players make up the "strongest team", why is a squad even allowed - and why were substitutions for "tactical reasons" introduced back in 1967?
We all know that if Town had needed a win at St Andrew's, Wagner's selections might have been different.
But the days when clubs had 'the first eleven and the stiffs' are long gone. Modern football is a squad game, and managers should have the flexibility to choose the players they want from their whole squad, without fear of retribution.
