A football match took place here, and occasionally a fairly engaging one, but once again the story revolves around handball. This game was deep into injury time when Andy Carroll, summoned from the bench to offer a poor Newcastle some semblance of threat, connected with a high ball just inside the Tottenham penalty area. Eric Dier jumped with him at close quarters and Carroll immediately appealed that the ball had struck an arm, although it was spirited upfield and play continued.
Eventually the VAR was deployed and, after a seemingly interminable stoppage designed to determine both the handball and whether Carroll was onside, the referee, Peter Bankes, awarded a penalty via a visit to his pitchside monitor. By the letter of the current law, which makes a mockery of the sport and is causing immeasurable harm, the decision seemed correct; Dier’s trailing arm was partly outstretched.
