Alan Shearer's rage at 's*** show' Leeds United benefited from as he calls for action

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Alan Shearer has taken aim at the Premier League's handball law, branding it a "s*** show" after the penalty decision awarded against James Tarkowski.

Leeds United secured their first victory of the 2025/26 campaign at home against Everton on Monday, with Lukas Nmecha's late spot-kick being the only goal of the game and sealing all three points. But the decision to grant the penalty has proven to be hugely controversial.

As Anton Stach fired the ball towards goal, Everton defender Tarkowski shifted to his left whilst attempting to block the effort. The ball struck his arm, which was positioned naturally at the side of his body.

Yet, after a brief pause, referee Chris Kavanagh awarded the penalty, leaving Toffees players visibly furious. A stunned Tarkowski explained to Sky Sports after the verdict denied David Moyes' team a point: "As soon as the ref blew I was pretty confident it was going to get overturned.

"My first question was, 'If my arm is by my side is it a penalty?' And he said, 'No.' I've since read I leaned into the ball, but there was nothing unnatural about my arm being by my side. I can't understand it. Bizarre."

Pundit Shearer was similarly bemused by the referee’s call and VAR's decision not to reverse the ruling as he criticised the league's handball laws, which he thinks are currently too complicated to be applied properly and demonstrate a lack of common sense.

(Image: YouTube/The Rest Is Football)

Gary Lineker, while hosting The Rest Is Football podcast, began the discussion about the Tarkowski incident by saying: “I suppose I’m playing devil’s advocate here, because I agree it was very, very harsh. But if you are leaning towards the ball, the first thing that goes is your arm towards the ball.”

Shearer disagreed, stating: “But he’s still in a natural position. It’s still down by his side. It’s still down by his side, and it’s taking a deflection. I just think the handball law is an absolute s*** show.

"It’s a shambles. It is. They have tried so many things that have just not worked. And how many times are we seeing it? The handball law, to me, just needs to be really simple. Is it deliberate handball or not? What’s wrong with that?”

(Image: youtube.com/@therestisfootball)

A frustrated David Moyes commented after the match: “The goal is completely wrong, really harsh. Leeds were better than us on the night, certainly in the first half, but it is hard to lose on that.

“It took a deflection. Tarky would have had to get his arm chopped off. They seem to think that because you lean, your arms can go away. You’re allowed to lean in football.

“It hasn’t been a good week for me. That decision was a poor decision. VAR had a chance to get that decision right and fair, and that wasn’t fair.”

The Everton manager will argue that he has grounds to feel aggrieved by the decision. According to the Football Association, Law 12, which covers handball offences, states a violation occurs when a player "touches the ball with their hand/arm when it has made their body unnaturally bigger."

(Image: George Wood/Getty Images)

The law, which appears on the FA’s website, also states that "a player is considered to have made their body unnaturally bigger when the position of their hand/arm is not a consequence of, or justifiable by, the player's body movement for that specific situation."

However, prior to last season, the handball law was relaxed slightly, creating additional confusion. The Premier League informed players that they were no longer required to move with their arms pressed rigidly against their sides or tucked behind their backs, with the positioning of their arm or hand being assessed solely in relation to their body's movement.

"We get a sense that we give too many handballs for actions that are quite normal and justifiable," PGMOL chief Howard Webb said at the time. "The guidance to officials this season is 'less is more'. You will see fewer harsh handball penalties."

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