Rio Ferdinand and Ally McCoist agree on rule change after Liverpool decision

21 October 2023 , 13:36

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Mohamed Salah struck twice as Liverpool beat Everton (Image: Getty Images)

Ally McCoist and Rio Ferdinand both agreed that football’s handball rule needs to change after Liverpool were awarded a penalty against Everton in Saturday’s Premier League clash.

The Merseyside derby was defined by officiating decisions throughout the game with Ashley Young sent off for the visitors before half-time following two yellow cards. The former England international felt harshly done by as he only made two fouls throughout the encounter.

The visitors were left furious in the second half when Reds defender Ibrahima Konate, who had already been cautioned, escaped a second yellow card with a cynical foul on the halfway line as Everton attempted to break up the pitch on a counter-attack.

Yet there was another big officiating call still to come which effectively decided the game, with the home side awarded a penalty following a handball from visiting defender Michael Keane. Luis Diaz’s hammered cross hit the defender’s outstretched hand inside the area – stopping the ball from reaching the middle of goal.

Referee Craig Pawson initially did not give the decision but was recommended by the VAR room to double check the incident on his pitchside monitor. After consulting the replays, Pawson awarded the penalty – which was duly dispatched by Mohamed Salah to break the deadlock with less than 20 minutes remaining.

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While it was inarguably a handball with Keane’s arm outstretched and not in a natural position, while preventing the ball from reaching a dangerous area of the pitch. However, the ball was fired at close range into his hand and it would be difficult to argue there was any intention on Keane’s behalf.

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Everton's Ashley Young was dismissed early in the game (Getty Images)

McCoist, speaking on TNT Sports as a pundit, said there “needs to be an element of deliberate handball” as Keane was punished for his handball which gave the home a decisive moment. His fellow commentator Ferdinand was in agreement, saying that there was no intention from Keane.

While both McCoist and Ferdinand were in agreement that the current rules meant that the correct decision was given, they called on the laws of the game to be more lenient on handballs going forward.

Colin Millar