Report: Premier League referees told to be more lenient with handball calls

The Premier League has instructed its referees to show greater leniency toward handball decisions following a number of controversial penalties over the weekend, The Athletic's David Ornstein and Matt Slater report.

The International Football Association Board recently updated the handball rule to specify that any contact below the T-shirt line - i.e., the bottom of the armpit - is considered an offense. IFAB also emphasized that a handball occurs when a player makes his or her body unnaturally bigger and if an attacking player handles the ball immediately before a goal is scored.

Six penalties have been given in the Premier League this season because of handball offenses.

Two of the most high-profile incidents occurred this weekend. Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson said the rule is "ruining the game of football" after defender Joel Ward was penalized for handling the ball with his arm by his side. Palace lost the match 2-1 to Everton.

Similar outrage ensued when Tottenham midfielder Eric Dier conceded a penalty late in Sunday's 1-1 draw with Newcastle United. Dier jumped to defend a free-kick when his flailing arm made contact with the ball.

The penalty against Ward wouldn't have been given under the Premier League's new protocol, according to Ornstein and Slater, but Dier's would still stand.

The Premier League's 20 clubs reportedly agreed to the provision, which is expected to be enforced next weekend.