Former Premier League referee, Mark Clattenburg has insisted that the disallowed Harry Kane goal against Sheffield United on Thursday showed why the handball laws need to be revisited.
Tottenham thought they had scored an equaliser immediately after going 1-0 down in the first half as Harry Kane put the ball in the back of the net after Lucas Moura was seemingly bundled to the ground.
However, VAR ruled the goal out as the ball was adjudged to have struck Moura’s arm as the Brazilian went down.
The decision has been the source of much controversy with the likes of Jamie Redknapp, Graeme Souness, and Burnley boss Sean Dyche, all questioning the lack of common sense from the VAR for the game, Michael Oliver.
However, Clattenburg opined that Oliver had no choice but to rule the goal out due to the new handball laws and insisted that the law needed changing.
In his column for The Daily Mail, Clattenburg wrote: “Like it or not, the letter of the law was followed on Thursday night. But this incident showed why this handball rule needs revising.
“Lucas Moura was nudged in the back by Sheffield United’s Sander Berge and forced to the ground.
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“John Egan tried to clear, only for him to boot the ball off Moura from half a yard — if that. Harry Kane then picked up the pieces and scored.
“The VAR spotted Moura’s arm was used in the build-up. Moura didn’t mean it, and it wasn’t his fault he was on the floor, but that doesn’t matter.
“The VAR had to disallow it. This is a law which needs changing.”
Spurs Web Opinion
Clattenburg is spot on about the problem being with the new handball rules rather than with VAR. Most of the discussion post-match has once again revolved around how VAR is killing the game. However, the problem, in this case, are the rules themselves, which needed to be amended to ensure they do not lead to ridiculous calls, especially when each goal is being scrutinised with so many slow-motion replays.
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