November 22, (THEWILL) – Manchester United defender, Harry Maguire, has called for English Premier League referees to raise the threshold for awarding penalties, claiming that officials are currently setting the bar too low. Speaking after England’s 1-1 draw with North Macedonia on Monday, Maguire said: “There are far too many soft penalties given at the moment.”
The centre-back highlighted two penalty incidents from the international fixture as evidence. While Maguire escaped punishment for a barge in the box, England debutant, Rico Lewis, did concede a spot-kick after a VAR review showed his arm brushed an opponent’s face. Maguire argued defenders are unable to do their jobs properly due to lenient penalty decisions.
“You should be able to make contact, you should be able to move your hands and get there”, he stated. “The threshold of giving penalties definitely needs to change.” The 30-year-old suggested the EPL should lead the way in implementing stricter officiating around penalties. So far this season, Maguire believes a number of “ridiculous” spot-kicks have been given.
The defender has a vested interest in tighter penalty controls. The Red Devils return to EPL action away at Everton on Sunday, looking to gain control over their upward trend under manager Erik ten Hag. Maguire has recently won back his place in the starting eleven following injury to Lisandro Martinez.
With controversy over VAR and penalties marring much of the campaign, the England international hopes his plea for common sense will be heeded. “I’ve seen some penalties since the start of this season which are just ridiculous,” he concluded.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
