Leeds United started their Premier League season with a strong win against Everton, but the game was full of talking points.
The biggest one came when referee Chris Kavanagh gave Leeds a penalty that many fans, players, and even experts now say was a mistake.
Former Premier League referee Mark Halsey has spoken out, saying the decision to give Leeds the spot kick was wrong and went against the FA’s own rules.
The Controversial Penalty
The drama came when Everton defender James Tarkowski was judged to have handled the ball inside the box.
Referee Chris Kavanagh pointed to the spot, and Leeds forward Lukas Nmecha stepped up to score.
The goal gave Leeds a big boost and helped them to a deserved win, but Everton were left furious with the call.
After the match, pundits like Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher on Sky Sports said they believed it was the right decision.
But others were not so sure. Tarkowski himself argued strongly that he did nothing wrong, saying his arm was in a natural position and he could not avoid the ball.
Mark Halsey’s View
Mark Halsey, who refereed many Premier League games in the past, spoke on TalkSport and made it clear he felt the call was a big mistake.
“Absolutely no penalty in my opinion,” Halsey said. “His arm is in a natural position.
theguardian.com
He hasn’t moved his arm towards the ball. Law 12 says that for handball, the player must make himself unnaturally bigger. Tarkowski did not do that.”
He added that players cannot be expected to play with their arms tied behind their back.
“What’s he supposed to do? His arm is within his body line. That is never a penalty.”
What The Rules Say
The FA’s Law on handball explains that it is only an offence if a player makes their body unnaturally bigger, or if they move their arm towards the ball.
This leaves some room for debate, but Halsey believes Tarkowski was unlucky and should never have been punished.
Still, some pundits feel Tarkowski leaned into the ball on purpose, which is why Kavanagh gave the penalty.
Neville even suggested the Everton man “knew what he was doing” as he moved.
The Bigger Picture
For Leeds, the penalty helped seal three massive points in their opening game, and the fans celebrated a strong win at Elland Road.
But for Everton and manager David Moyes, the decision left a sour taste.
Moyes admitted Leeds played well but also said the penalty was the difference in what was otherwise a tight game.
In football, these decisions are always debated, and as the old saying goes, they often even themselves out over the season.
Leeds will be happy with the result, but Everton may still feel robbed.
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