Ex-Premier League referee says handball rule is 'an absolute joke' after VAR controversy at Sheffield United

Robert Snodgrass thought he’d scored an injury time equaliser for David Moyes’ side only for his effort to be disallowed by VAR after the ball struck Declan Rice’s arm in the build-up to the ‘goal’.

And United themselves had an effort chalked off in their win at Brighton last month when John Egan headed the ball onto his arm before it hit the back of the net.

The law regarding handball says any goal scored or created with the use of the hand or arm will be disallowed ‘even if it is accidental'.

But Halsey says the rule – introduced by the International Football Association Board (IFAB) this season – has to change ‘because it’s going to drive people away from football’.

"The law is a fiasco, it's an absolute joke at present,” said Halsey, speaking on Alan Brazil’s Sports Breakfast on talkSPORT.

“The people who implement it – the IFAB – they sit around a table and they think up these things.

“Why do they not involve ex-players, the ex-managers, present players and managers – even fans? Fans have a great knowledge of football. Why do they not involve everybody?”

Halsey, who refereed in the Premier League from 1999 to 2013, says the controversial law change has left him puzzled.

He said: "Why on earth have we changed the law to this? We've had around 35 goals ruled out this season. In League Two, League One, the Championship and the Europa League that would be a goal.

"The IFAB make the laws. They just sit down between themselves and make these laws up. They've got to re-visit it ASAP because it's going to drive people away from football.

"For me that was a goal on Friday. What can Declan Rice do? He knows nothing about it. The Sheffield United defender heads it against his arm. His arm is in a natural position, (he's) in a running motion. It's the law, we cannot blame the officials. We have to blame the IFAB."