Holding, pushing, and grappling inside the penalty area became widespread in the Premier League last season. After incidents like West Ham's disallowed goal against Arsenal, referees will now be instructed to be stricter and more proactive in penalising clear non-footballing actions.

The laws themselves haven't changed, but the focus on player behaviour has. Officials across the Premier League, EFL, and WSL will pay closer attention to 'holding actions that have clear material impact'. Of the 20 missed VAR interventions last season, a quarter were penalties not awarded when players were wrestled to the ground off the ball.

Referees' chief Howard Webb wants officials to be more confident in penalising what they see, with fewer warnings and more action. This includes penalising players who hold opponents with both arms or make no attempt to play the ball. Examples shown to players include Brentford's Keane Lewis-Potter wrestling West Ham's Tomas Soucek, and Sunderland's Luke O'Nien dragging down Leeds United's Pascal Struijk.

While the Premier League saw a record 269 set-piece goals last season, a stricter approach could impact their effectiveness. Webb believes penalising offences will force players to adjust tactics, reducing problematic situations.