Leeds returned to the Premier League with a 1-0 win over Everton but the match was dominated by controversy over the late penalty that settled it.

Referee Chris Kavanagh pointed to the spot when James Tarkowski blocked Anton Stach’s strike with his arm. Lukas Nmecha converted to hand Leeds victory, with Everton furious as VAR upheld the call.

“I’m really disappointed and unless you cut the boys hand off, I don’t know where he goes,” David Moyes said.

“I think it’s a really poor decision. VAR had a chance to undo it. They tried to say he was leaning to the ball. Surely you’re allowed to lean with your hands by your sides!”

Tarkowski also hit out. “That’s not a penalty. As soon as the referee gave it I was pretty confident about it being overturned. My first question to him was, if my arm is by my side, which it was, is it a penalty? To which he said no.

“And then it’s since been that I leaned into the ball. There’s nothing unnatural about my arm being by my side. I can’t understand it really.”

Gary Neville took a different view. “The guilt was written all over Tarkowski’s face. He knows it is a penalty. Tarkowski moved his arm towards the ball.

“He leans into it and he blocks it. It is a penalty, and he knows what he has done. He knows it is a penalty. He knows that he has made a mistake.”

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Jamie Carragher agreed. “I think it is. I think he [Tarkowski] knows what he is doing. It is something I would do. Has he lost his bearings? It is a split-second decision. I think it is definitely a penalty.”

On BBC Radio 5 Live, Chris Sutton was scathing. “That’s not a penalty,” he said. “That’s absolutely not a penalty. Who knows what the directive is, but his arm is down by his side. That’s a scandal, I think. That’s never a penalty.”

Leeds boss Daniel Farke, amid calling for more firepower, backed the officials. “During the game, I got the feeling it was a penalty,” he told BBC Sport.

“There was an emotional influence by the roar of the home crowd. I was a bit worried the check was so long, but if the check takes that long then surely you can’t overturn it.”

The split verdict leaves handball law under the spotlight once again, with even the opening weekend unable to avoid controversy.