The number one controversy in the Premier League was born! The player was awarded a penalty in the 82-minute mark. British media: Scandal

The first round of the Premier League season in 2025-26, Leeds United defeated Everton 1-0. This game was born with the number one controversy in this round: Tarkovsky was ordered to handball in the penalty area with his arm close to his torso. Leeds United scored a penalty and started well.

Tarkovsky's penalty instantly became the hottest topic in the Premier League. Some commentators of the BBC and Sky Sports called it a "scandal"; Everton coach Moyes claimed it was a "completely wrong penalty"; Carragher and Gary Neville believed that the penalty was correct.

Let's look at the situation at that time: In the 82nd minute of the game, Leeds United's offense. Anton Stacher shot with his right foot from outside the penalty area. In the penalty area, Everton defender Tarkovsky leaned to the left, trying to block the shot. Tarkovsky's arms were pressed against his body, and the ball deflected on his left arm. The referee pointed his finger at the penalty spot, which made Everton's entire team furious. Tarkovsky was even more confused and kept shaking his head, indicating that his arm was tightly attached to his body, which was definitely not a penalty kick.

When VAR intervened and confirmed that it was a penalty kick, Tarkovsky looked incredible and frowned. This can be called the "number one emoticon package" of the Premier League this round.

The arms are tightly pressed against the body, is this a penalty kick? The parties, fans and media were all in a panic. Everton coach Moyes bluntly stated that the penalty was completely wrong, and the bad penalty was bad; Tarkovsky said: "It's so strange, I don't understand."

In the BBC live broadcast, former Premier League star Sutton commented: "It's definitely not a penalty kick, it's simply a scandal." Another old Premier League player, Cauddy, also believed that such a penalty made everyone wonder, what exactly is handball?

However, Sky Sports' Gary Neville and Carragher believed that the referee's penalty was correct. "Tarkovsky stretched his arm towards the ball and leaned over to block the shot. He knew he had made a mistake and knew it was a penalty."

Fans and the media had their own opinions, so how do the rules explain it? The BBC has brought out the handball terms of FIFA and the FA:

Players touch the ball with their hands and arms, and unnaturally expand their body area, which constitutes a foul. Under the FIFA rules, the FA also has a detailed explanation - if the defending player deliberately (or consciously) moves his hands and arms to the ball, even if his arms are close to the torso, the referee can determine that the player deliberately touches the ball with his arms, causing the body area to expand unnaturally. If it is in the penalty area, it is a penalty kick.

The referee used this explanation to determine that Tarkovsky made a handball foul.

Even with such rules and regulations, the BBC still believes that such an explanation will lead to "more blurry" in handball fouls, and different referees will have different judgments. If the Premier League is awarded according to such standards in the new season, there will be more penalty kicks; if the scale is a little looser, there will be more controversy...