Harry Maguire, a defender for Manchester United, has criticized the growing amount of cheap penalties given by officials and called on the Premier League to address what he calls a “ridiculous” situation.

After North Macedonia was awarded a penalty in the first half of Monday night’s 1-1 draw with England, Maguire made an urgent appeal for reforms. It was decided that rookie Rico Lewis, who was trying to clear a bouncing ball, had fouled Bojan Miovski within the penalty area with a flailing arm.

With Lewis’s entire focus on the ball, it was one of the most lenient penalty calls you will ever witness. After the incident that left the England players dumbfounded, Maguire has taken aim at the growing amount of dubious penalties that are given out in local and European championships.

He is adamant that the Premier League, as the largest and most watched league in the world, needs to make some much-needed adjustments.

“For me, penalties in the last six months, a year or so, especially in the Premier League, all over the world really, the Champions League, they are given for anything,” Maguire stated. “They have such softness.

“They are making it really difficult for defenders to defend in the proper manner. It is essential that you possess the ability to defend, move your arm, move your body, establish contact, move your hands, and reach your destination.

Penalties are imposed on everything these days. For anything, without a doubt. It’s a crucial component of the game.

“I know it’s a crucial aspect of the game to determine what should and shouldn’t be a penalty, but there are now far too many soft penalties awarded. I firmly believe that the bar for imposing sanctions needs to be raised.

“And since I’ve seen some ridiculous penalties in the Premier League since the beginning of this season, I believe the Premier League, the biggest league in the world, needs to start it, needs to come up with something.”

“It’s not only at my club; every weekend, I observe them being given out for handballs, when I have no idea where the boys are meant to place their arms—it’s a contact sport, after all. They must set the norm and raise the threshold somewhat above its current level, starting with the Premier League, the largest league in the world.”