Kirby fears new rules will see some strikers deliberately aiming at defenders’ arms to earn spot-kicks

FRAN KIRBY fears players could start targeting defenders for penalties – thanks to new rules on handball.

The England forward won a spot-kick against Scotland, which helped the Lionesses to an opening World Cup win on Sunday, when her cross hit Nicola Docherty’s arm.

And although she is convinced the decision was correct, Kirby admits teams will have to be on their guard for any player who starts aiming for outstretched arms, now that the laws no longer require handball to be deliberate.

Asked whether arms could be a target for unscrupulous players, the Chelsea striker said: “Yes, possibly – but I’d like to think players wouldn’t do that. It’s a difficult one.

“We had a VAR meeting with FIFA before the game. The referees were very clear that, if your arms are not in a natural position, or near your body, then it’s going to be given. They explained how the rules were going to go.

“Personally, I wasn’t thinking, ‘I’m going to cross it and hit her hand’. I was thinking, ‘Lucy Bronze is in the box, I want to hit her head’.

“I’m not going to drive down the line and then kick a ball against an opposition player’s arm or hand because I want to get a penalty.

“I’d like to think that’s how others feel in that moment – but I don’t know. But as soon as I saw the ball hit her arm on Sunday, I knew it would be a penalty.

“No one really appealed for it, apart from myself

– and then I let it go. I just thought, ‘It’s not going to get given’. When it went to VAR, I thought to myself, ‘This is going to get given now’, so I used that time to tell Nikita Parris that it would be, so she had time to compose herself.”

Referees have clamped down on arms being in “unnatural positions”, and the fact the ball hits the hand accidentally is no longer a defence – as seen when Liverpool profited with an early penalty during the Champions League final (Sadio Mane and Moussa Sissoko, left). Roberto Rosseti, head of UEFA’s referees, has confirmed that if a defender is looking to block a cross, or shot on goal, and the player is trying to spread their body, then it is handball, regardless of whether it was deliberate or not.

Kirby also confirmed refs have told defenders not to stop playing in anticipation of an offside decision because everything will be checked.

Head coach Phil Neville has left his side in no doubt as to how to handle the referees – leave them alone. Midfielder Keira Walsh said: “Phil told us before the game that he doesn’t want us going near the referee. He’s told us to leave her to it – to respect what she’s doing.

“He told us not to get too emotional about any decision. That we have to trust the referees and trust VAR. It makes it easier for the referee. It takes the pressure off her, even if it does slow the game down.”

But Walsh did admit VAR has altered her behaviour in one way, adding: “I try not to celebrate any goal now – just in case it gets overturned by the referee.”