<figure id="attachment_3135055" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-3135055" style="width: 1600px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-3135055" src="https://media.freemalaysiatoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/8ba4f07c-premier-league-referees.jpg" alt="Premier League referees" width="1600" height="1000" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-3135055" class="wp-caption-text">The referees&#8217; body, PGMOL, said VAR could step in for &#8216;extreme non-footballing actions&#8217;, including players dragging opponents to the ground. (EPA Images pic)</figcaption></figure>
LONDON: 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&#8217; body the PGMOL, told reporters on Thursday that feedback from a recent Premier League survey had highlighted &#8220;a few too many&#8221; clear holding offences going unpunished.
He said VAR could intervene in situations of &#8220;extreme non-footballing action&#8221; where a player was clearly dragging another to the ground, even off the ball.
&#8220;I would expect, if we&#8217;re sitting around this table this time next year, there to have been a few more penalties given for holding offences than what we&#8217;ve seen (last season),&#8221; he said.
&#8220;But not a huge swing of the pendulum, because that&#8217;s really difficult to sustain over a period of time.&#8221;
Webb said there would still be &#8220;some grey zone situations where the referee&#8217;s call stands, where the referee says &#8216;No, it&#8217;s a small touch, it&#8217;s not impacting his ability to move the ball, it&#8217;s mutual holding.
&#8220;That will stay the referee&#8217;s call.
&#8220;When there&#8217;s no considerations to support the referee&#8217;s call, then we&#8217;ll expect VAR to get involved as well,&#8221; added Webb.
Nottingham Forest were awarded a penalty, confirmed after a VAR check, last season in a 7-0 thrashing of Brighton &amp; Hove Albion when Tariq Lamptey bundled Forest captain Morgan Gibbs-White to the ground.
A subsequent Premier League statement referred to &#8220;sustained holding with no attempt to play the ball&#8221;.
The PGMOL has tried before to reduce holding but Webb said this time the approach would be more lasting.
&#8220;This is not meant to be a two-week campaign, a six-week campaign, August and September and then forget all about it,&#8221; he explained.
&#8220;If we went in like a steam train and gave every little bit of contact then it would be a six week campaign because we get told very quickly to ease off on what we&#8217;re doing.
&#8220;We have to take the game with us, we have to be credible.&#8221;
The new season kicks off on Friday when champions Liverpool host Bournemouth.

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