MX23RW : Saturday, November 16 01:49:00| >> :120:55414:55414:
[monks data]
Crystal Palace logo
Premier League | Gameweek 3
Sep 26, 2020 at 3pm UK
Selhurst Park
Everton logo

Crystal Palace
1 - 2
Everton

Kouyate (26')
Zaha (23'), McArthur (45+3'), Ward (59')
FT(HT: 1-2)
Calvert-Lewin (10'), Richarlison (40' pen.)
Richarlison (60')

Roy Hodgson slams handball rule after home defeat to Everton

The Eagles suffered their first Premier League defeat of the campaign while the Toffees soared to the summit.

Roy Hodgson labelled the handball rule "nonsense" after he watched Crystal Palace lose 2-1 at home to Everton due to Richarlison's 40th-minute penalty.

Joel Ward was punished after the ball hit his hand inside the area from Lucas Digne's header, but only after the video assistant referee gave the power back to the referee at Selhurst Park.

Kevin Friend awarded the Toffees a spot-kick after he used the pitchside monitor and it proved decisive after Cheikhou Kouyate had cancelled out Dominic Calvert-Lewin's opener for the visitors in the capital.

Even though Palace benefited from a similar decision last weekend away to Manchester United, the Eagles manager criticised the handball rule and highlighted another penalty given earlier in the day for the Red Devils at Brighton.

Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson was left frustrated
Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson was left frustrated (Bradley Collyer/PA)

Hodgson insisted: "I criticised it last week if you remember correctly. I said that wasn't a penalty.

"I didn't think this one was a penalty and I don't think the game I watched on TV before this one started – when Neal Maupay was adjudged to have handled the ball – was a penalty. I think it is a nonsense.

"I think it is a nonsense when we get one and a nonsense when we get one against us and it is only serving a purpose for you guys (in the media).

"Obviously discussions and dramatic moments are what keep your work in full swing, but for us in football I find it very disappointing that the game I love and believe in is being reduced to this level.

"Every week games are being decided on so-called penalty decisions for handball which are definitely not handball."

According to the International Football Association Board, if the ball hits the hand of a player who has made their body "unnaturally bigger" then a foul will be awarded.

Ward, on his 250th appearance for Palace, was deemed to have done just that in the 37th minute and it left Hodgson perplexed.

"I just don't understand how we have allowed it to happen," the 73-year-old added.

"How the Premier League, the referees, coaches, managers and players have allowed this type of situation which we have virtually in every match to occur.

Richarlison slots home the penalty
Richarlison slots home the penalty (Bradley Collyer/PA)

"The rules of football are important, one of the beauties of the rules is basically everybody knew them because we all played it in the school yard.

"Now we have to take on board rules which we are being suggested are the right ones to judge handball and I don't think they are the right ones to judge handball.

"I think whole thing is a nonsense and I am always disappointed a good game of football, between two good teams which should have finished as a draw, now means one goes away with three points and the other with zero.

"The winner leaves knowing full well it shouldn't have been a penalty and the losers goes away knowing we have played well enough but this penalty has robbed us of taking any points from the game."

Everton boss Carlo Ancelotti saw his team make it five straight wins in all competitions this season, but was not completely satisfied with the display at Selhurst Park.

"The performance was difficult," the Italian admitted, despite guiding the Toffees to the top of the table. "We had difficulties.

"The game in the first half was quite good and we were able to play how we wanted, the second half was more difficult because Crystal Palace played a good second half and put a lot of pressure on us.

"We were not able to play with the ball like we wanted, but the spirit defensively was good and we worked hard. We left out the quality but the attitude defensively was good from all the players."

ID:416059: cacheID:416059:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:9852:No Data Analysis info
Restore Data
Share this article now:
Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes celebrates scoring against Brighton & Hove Albion in the Premier League on September 26, 2020
Read Next:
Premier League roundup: Manchester United win thriller while Everton continue 100% start
>
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool119112161528
2Manchester CityMan City117222213923
3Chelsea115422113819
4Arsenal115421812619
5Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest115421510519
6Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton115421915419
7Fulham115331613318
8Newcastle UnitedNewcastle115331311218
9Aston Villa115331717018
10Tottenham HotspurSpurs1151523131016
11Brentford115152222016
12Bournemouth114341515015
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd114341212015
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham113351319-612
15Leicester CityLeicester112451421-710
16Everton112451017-710
17Ipswich TownIpswich111551222-108
18Crystal Palace11146815-77
19Wolverhampton WanderersWolves111371627-116
20Southampton11119721-144


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!