Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson labelled the new handball rules "nonsense", saying that he believes that incidents like the one his team faces on Saturday are "ruining the game".


A foul will be awarded the ball hits a player who has made themselves "unnaturally bigger" with their arm. IFAB determine that a hand or arm above shoulder height is rarely a “natural position”. There can be exceptions, such as when a player is falling. Leeway can also be given with ricocheted handballs, when it comes off a nearby player of if the player cannot see the ball.

What the managers said...

Tottenham manager Jose Mourinho:
"I don't think [about the decision]. I think about my team's performance, which was really good. The first half, amazing, it should have been 3 or 4-0, easy, but Karl Darlow was fantastic and they survived.

"If I want to give some money away, I would give it to charity, I don't want to give it to the FA, so I don't want to comment."


Newcastle boss Steve Bruce:
Steve Bruce said the new handball rule is nonsense, despite his side benefitting from a late decision to earn a penalty and point against Tottenham
Maybe Roy's right, we have to all get together. We put the referee's under this enormous pressure, the handball rule has been around for years and if it's a deliberate handball then yes, but the decisions are, for me, ruining the spectacle. It was great for us today but one or two of them will go against us.

"I think we have to get together as managers and coaches to go to the Premier League and say 'this must stop'."

Jamie Carragher
Carragher: Handball rule a disgrace

"It's an absolute disgrace. An absolute joke. Newcastle fans will be ecstatic, I can understand that but everyone else in this country will say exactly what I'm saying.

"Eric Dier jumps for the ball, has no control of where his arms are going to be, it was a header half a yard away from him, hits him on the back of his arm, he has no idea what's going on. This is a joke.

"Whether it's the Premier League, the FA, FIFA, Pierluigi Collina, whoever is involved in this, stop it, because you're ruining football for everybody. Absolute joke.

"You've got more trouble on your hands Premier League, FIFA, UEFA, whoever is involved. Change this now!"

Cc honeric01, semid4lyfe