Chelsea were furious to see Noah Okafor's Leeds United equaliser stand amid calls for a handball in the build-up.
Leeds United’s equaliser at Chelsea was correctly allowed to stand amid calls for a Jayden Bogle handball, according to the Premier League rules.
Chelsea wanted Okafor’s goal chalked off, with replays showing the ball hit Bogle’s elbow as he charged into the box, albeit there looked to be a slight touch off his thigh beforehand. A lengthy VAR review eventually confirmed the goal should stand, agreeing with referee Rob Jones’ initial decision.
A statement from the Premier League Match Centre on X explained the decision. It read: “The referee’s call of goal to Leeds United was checked and confirmed by VAR - with there deemed to be no handball offence by Bogle in the build-up.”
Furious Chelsea boss Liam Rosenior insisted the goal should have been ruled out, adding ‘from my understanding if there’s any handball in the lead up to a goal, it should be disallowed.’ But that is not entirely correct.
Premier League rules state an accidental handball is an offence if a player scores ‘directly from‘ or ‘immediately after’ the ball has touched their hand or arm. However, if the goal is not immediate or it is scored by a teammate, an accidental handball is not punished.
Referee correct not to rule out Leeds United equaliser
Given Bogle did not score the equaliser, or have an immediate and direct impact - it was Nmecha who passed across to Okafor following the chaos - he would only have been punished for a handball had it been on purpose. And with the slight touch of his thigh and natural arm position, the referee and VAR team judged it to have been accidental.
“We both said at the time, didn’t we Joe [Hart], that’s handball,” former Chelsea star Joe Cole told TNT Sports. “But when we saw it in the replay, we thought maybe not. It’s one of them, thigh and then hand. They usually let that slide, don’t they?”
ex-Manchester City goalkeeper Joe Hart added: “He’s more directly involved when he hands it over, and Robert Sanchez nails someone. If that penalty was given, they would’ve gone back and the handball would have been relevant.
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“But because it moved on another phase - Okafor knocked it in and it was another party coming in to it - I think the handball isn’t directly involved in the goal. Therefore, making it not handball.”
The brilliant comeback earned Leeds what could prove a massive point in the relegation picture, maintaining the six-point gap on 18th-placed West Ham who drew 1-1 at home to Manchester United. The Hammers looked set for a big win but conceded in the 96th minute to substitute Benjamin Sesko.
Leeds have also climbed up to 15th in the table, pulling a point clear of Tottenham Hotspur whose miserable form continued with a 2-1 defeat at home to Newcastle United. Nottingham Forest in 17th host rock-bottom Wolves this evening.
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