Chelsea boss Frank Lampard admits that the new Premier League handball laws do not feel right after a controversial weekend across the league.
The biggest talking point of the weekend that featured seven penalties in eight games came in second half stoppage time during Tottenham Hotspur’s 1-1 draw with Newcastle United yesterday afternoon.
Newcastle were awarded a late penalty when Andy Carroll’s header hit Eric Dier’s hand, which led to a spot-kick after VAR was consulted.
Despite being just 26 games into the new top-flight season, already, there have been 20 penalties across the Premier League this season, six of which have been given for handball.
Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson and Newcastle’s Steve Bruce have both been vocal this weekend over calls to change the current laws on handball.
And Lampard is in agreement with them and believes that the current laws need to change.
“I agree with Bruce and Hodgson with their analysis of it,” said Lampard.
“We all understand that when you jump in the box your arms move in different positions. It doesn't feel right at all.”
Both Bruce and Hodgson have described the handball rule as a nonsense, while former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher launched a passionate rant about the situation following the decision to award Newcastle the penalty against Tottenham.
He said: "It’s an absolute disgrace. It’s an absolute joke. Newcastle fans will be absolutely ecstatic, I can understand that. But everyone else in this country will say exactly what I’m saying and thinking," he said on Sky Sports.
"Eric Dier is jumping for the ball, he has absolutely no idea where his arms are gonna be, it’s half a yard away from him, and hits him on the arm. He has no idea what’s going on.
"This is a joke, whether it’s the Premier League, the FA, FIFA, Collina, whoever is involved in this, stop it - you’re ruining football for everybody. Absolute joke.”
