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Roy Hodgson rages at 'nonsense' handball rule after Crystal Palace loss: 'It is ruining the game'

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A seething Roy Hodgson says the new handball rule is "ruining" football after Crystal Palace saw their winning start to the season brought to an end by a penalty given against them by VAR.

After referee Kevin Friend had consulted the pitchside monitor, Joel Ward was penalised for handling the ball after Everton's Lucas Digne headed down onto his hand.

It was from close range and appeared harsh, but, under the guise of the new laws around handball, was the correct decision.

The game was finely poised before the penalty, which Richarlison converted. Dominic Calvert-Lewin had opened the scoring before Cheikhou Kouyate headed home to equalise.

"I think the rule is a nonsense," Hodgson said. "I can't understand how everyone in the game of football - the Premier League, referees, managers and coaches - have allowed this rule to come into operation. It is ruining the game of football, no question of that.

"We can't understand what constitutes a handball and what doesn't.

"The idea that you can look at this on a screen and this constitutes a handball. It is just an absolute nonsense. I don't want to profit from it or lose from it."

Not only are managers struggling with the new law, but even those on the pitch are struggling to come to terms with the change.

Ward said: "It is [confusing]. When you look at the motion and the momentum [of players], it's very hard to play with your arms behind your back.

"It is what it is, we have to dust ourselves down and go again. There will be conversations about [the penalty decision] I'm sure.

"Unfortunately it went against us, we can't dwell on that now. Let's not take away from the fact we have started well. We're making it hard for people to beat us, we're limiting the amount of efforts and chances against us and from front to back we are well-drilled."

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Palace’s perfect start ended by controversial Richarlison penalty