FORMER England boss Sam Allardyce admitted he was “bewildered” by handball decisions which proved costly for Cherries in a 3-0 defeat at Burnley.

Eddie Howe’s men saw goals from Joshua King and Harry Wilson chalked off for handballs following VAR checks with official Chris Kavanagh, who ruled Philip Billing and Adam Smith had handled during the respective incidents.

And Allardyce, who has managed the likes of Bolton, Blackburn, West Ham and Everton, believes Cherries would have at least got a point from the game at Turf Moor had the calls gone their way.

Law 12 of the FA rules state it is an offence if a player “creates a goal-scoring opportunity” in handling the ball.

Allardyce told TalkSPORT: “What we saw with Bournemouth and Burnley is something I am bewildered about.

“You cannot be 100 per cent certain, even both of them, that they weren’t more shoulder than arm.

“They are destroying the game with the stupid law that any handball disallows a goal. It wasn’t intentional, it was a perfectly good goal.”

He added: “At this stage of the season, where Eddie is in the position he’s in, I believe that Eddie and his team would not have lost, would have at least got a draw and maybe have won this game.

“They end up demoralised going back home - not by their own efforts for me in the end – by what’s happened with VAR and the decisions on VAR.

“When you’re in this position, a point away from home or more than that lifts your team. It’s a real big blow for them.”