'A scandal' - was Leeds penalty correct and what does law say?

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Leeds celebrated their return to the Premier League with a hard-earned 1-0 victory over Everton on Monday, with a second-half penalty converted by Lukas Nmecha proving decisive.

However, the decision to award the penalty sparked some controversy.

As Anton Stach unleashed a powerful shot towards the net, Everton's James Tarkowski leaned to his left in a bid to block the strike, doing so with his arm, which was closely positioned against his body.

Referee Chris Kavanagh took a moment before indicating for the penalty, much to the outrage of the Toffees players.

"Once the referee blew his whistle, I felt certain it would be overturned," Tarkowski told Sky Sports. "My immediate question was, 'Is it a penalty if my arm is by my side?' He responded with 'no.'

"I’ve read since that I apparently leaned into the shot, but there was nothing unnatural about my arm position. I find it hard to comprehend. It's perplexing."

David Moyes, the Everton manager, also labeled the decision "incorrect" – but could it be?

What do the regulations stipulate?

According to Law 12, which pertains to handball, an infringement is identified when a player "makes contact with the ball using their hand or arm when it has enlarged their body unnaturally."

The law, described on the Football Association’s website, further clarifies that "a player’s body is viewed as having been made unnaturally larger when the position of their hand or arm is not a result of, or justifiable by, their body movement in that particular scenario."

However, the situation becomes complicated here.

Prior to the last season, the handball regulations were somewhat relaxed. The Premier League informed players that they do not need to keep their arms rigidly at their sides or behind their backs.

The positioning of their arm or hand will now be assessed in relation to their body movement.

"We feel that we award too many penalties for actions that are quite normal and reasonable," refereeing chief Howard Webb commented at the time.

"The guidance for officials this season is 'less is more.' Expect to see fewer strict penalties for handball."

"The guilt was evident on Tarkowski's face."

Pundits were certainly divided on the ruling, with some confusion surrounding the precise wording of the law as well.

Former Premier League striker Chris Sutton expressed on BBC Radio 5 Live’s Monday Night Club that it was a "disgrace" and "extremely harsh."

"That’s not a penalty," he asserted. "That’s absolutely not a penalty. Who can tell what the instruction is? His arm is down by his side.

"We’ll hear from David Moyes on this later, but in my opinion, this is a disgrace. That’s never a penalty."

Former Everton defender Conor Coady, now with Wrexham, remarked: "I’m not fond of it. I don’t agree with the rule - I’m puzzled about what constitutes handball these days."

However, Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher both reached a consensus on Sky Sports that the referee made the correct call.

"The remorse was evident on Tarkowski's face. He understands that it's a penalty," Neville remarked.

"Tarkowski extended his arm toward the ball. He leans into it, and ends up blocking it. It is indeed a penalty, and he is aware of his actions.

"He is aware that it is a penalty. He recognizes that he has erred."

"Unless you sever the boy's hand, I am uncertain of where he should go," Moyes commented, indicating that the referees "didn't have an excellent weekend" following the match, describing a call as a "really poor decision."

"I am truly dissatisfied, and unless you sever the boy's hand, I am not sure where he should go," he expressed to Sport. "I am uncertain if the crowd has an influence on it.

"I believe it's a very poor decision. VAR [the video assistant referee] had the opportunity to rectify it. They claimed he was leaning toward the ball—surely, one is permitted to lean with their hands at their sides."

While Moyes and Tarkowski advocated for Everton's position, Leeds manager Daniel Farke stated he "hopes the referee was correct."

"During the match, I felt it was a penalty," he shared with BBC Sport. "There was a psychological effect from the enthusiasm of the home crowd.

"I was slightly concerned that the review took so long, but if the review is that lengthy, then it seems you shouldn't be able to overturn it."