Premier League cracks down on set-piece grappling — SkimNews
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- Premier League referees have been instructed to penalize "non-footballing holding actions" at corners and set-pieces following summer consultation with captains, coaches and officials
- Howard Webb, the Premier League's referees' chief, said he wants "fewer warnings, more actions penalised" to modify player behavior rather than just issuing cautions
- Set-piece goals hit a record 25.7% share of Premier League goals last season (269 goals) — the highest among Europe's top five leagues, ahead of Serie A's 22.3%
- Arsenal scored 25 set-piece goals (most in the league) and conceded just 7 (fewest), while Liverpool conceded a league-high 19, followed by Chelsea and Newcastle on 17
- A quarter of the 20 missed VAR interventions last season were penalties not awarded when a player was wrestled to the ground off the ball
- The new guidelines also apply to the EFL and Women's Super League, and were shaped by incidents like West Ham's disallowed goal against Arsenal in May when "up to five potential fouls happened at the same time"
Why it matters: The Premier League is betting stricter refereeing will force tactical change, but with 25.7% of goals coming from set-pieces (a record, 269 goals), teams like Arsenal (25 scored) and Liverpool (19 conceded) face the biggest disruption. The open question: whether the crackdown survives past September, since referees typically start strict then drift back.
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