Overview

• Arsenal defender Riccardo Calafiori took Newcastle goalkeeper Nick Pope’s towel to dry the ball before a throw-in, prompting referee Jarred Gillett to remove it and return it to the goal area.
• Supporters on social media reacted with humor and confusion, joking about a supposed towel rule and questioning the intervention.
• Reporting notes the Premier League rule book does not explicitly prohibit using a towel to dry the ball before a throw-in, even after the adoption of the multi-ball system to speed restarts.
• The EFL has specific restrictions on towel-drying following a clubs’ vote, with past incidents including Wycombe’s Luke Leahy being cautioned and Rotherham’s Wes Harding receiving a fan’s jumper to wipe the ball.
• A Manchester City supporter recently claimed Arsenal had broken Premier League rules by using a towel, though coverage indicates there is no clear top-flight ban.