Premier League referees to crack down on players holding in the box

By Alan Baldwin

Premier League referees are likely to award more penalties this season in a tougher response to players who grapple and hold opponents in the penalty area.

Howard Webb, chief operating officer of referees’ body the PGMOL, told reporters on Thursday that feedback from a recent Premier League survey had highlighted “a few too many” clear holding offences going unpunished.

He said VAR could intervene in situations of “extreme non-footballing action” where a player was clearly dragging another to the ground, even off the ball.

“I would expect, if we’re sitting around this table this time next year, there to have been a few more penalties given for holding offences than what we’ve seen (last season),” he said.

“But not a huge swing of the pendulum, because that’s really difficult to sustain over a period of time.”

Webb said there would still be “some grey zone situations where the