Defenders handed some relief in penalty controversy
REFEREES will be urged to be more lenient about handballs following the growing outcry over penalties – but the controversial award against Tottenham’s Eric Dier would still be given under the new guidelines.
Five penalties have already been awarded for handball in the top flight, compared to 19 in the whole of last season, under a new interpretation which punishes a defending player if the ball strikes their arm in an ‘unnatural’ position.
But Fifa’s attempts to take control of VAR to standardise decisions across the globe have been quickly overridden, with top-flight referees now told to consider whether a player could have been expected to have their arms in their position given the state of play.
It means controversial penalties given against Manchester United’s Victor Lindelof and Crystal Palace’s Joel Ward would not have be given.
However, the last-gasp award against Dier – labelled a ‘nonsense’ by opposing Newcastle boss Steve Bruce – would still be a spot-kick because of a clause which calls a foul if a player’s hand is above their shoulder when it is struck. Dier said of Sunday’s decision against him: ‘The push in my back is what makes my arm go up, that is a completely natural reaction.’
While a fresh interpretation of the rules was introduced just three matchdays into the new campaign at yesterday’s Premier League meeting there was no agreement on a bailout for EFL clubs despite intense government pressure.
The top flight is being urged to help fill the £200million funding gap caused by the government’s decision to postpone the planned return of spectators, which was originally pencilled in for tomorrow. The Premier League will pay for players from the three Football League sides remaining in the Carabao Cup – Newport, Brentford and Stoke – to be tested for coronavirus ahead of this week’s ties.
However, Newport manager Michael Flynn was last night still awaiting their results ahead of this evening’s tie with Newcastle.
Leyton Orient were last week removed from the competition after tests paid for by Tottenham ahead of their tie reportedly produced 17 positive tests.