Alan Shearer slams handball rule after Sheffield United vs Luton as Aston Villa eye Cameron Archer return

Sheffield United took a huge step forward in the battle for Premier League survival on Saturday, beating relegation rivals Luton Town 3-1 at Kenilworth Road. Cameron Archer and James McAtee sent the Blades into half-time ahead, with Vinicius Souza ensuring all three points returned to South Yorkshire after Carlton Morris' penalty.

It's a first league win in eight for Chris Wilder's side but while they remain bottom, the gap between them and 17th-placed Luton is now just seven points. And after what was an excellent day on the road, The Star has your Sunday headlines.

Handball rule slammed

Alan Shearer has labelled the current handball laws an 'absolute joke' after two controversial penalties were awarded during Saturday's 3-1 win at Luton. Both United and Luton were awarded controversial spot-kicks on Saturday, with referee Chris Kavanagh twice sent to the screen after initially not spotting incidents.

Luton's penalty in particular, given when Souza was adjudged to have handed in the box, was particularly baffling. The Blades midfielder was not looking at the ball and saw it deflect slightly off his head before hitting an arm.

“It's an absolute joke of a decision, I really think [Kavanagh] thinks VAR has given the first one so he has to even if up and better give that one,” Shearer told Match of the Day. “How on earth does he think that's handball? It's a crazy decision. The handball law as we know is an absolute joke.”

Villa's Archer return

Aston Villa will reportedly welcome Cameron Archer back in the summer if United are relegated. BirminghamLive reports that a clause in the striker's deal will see him return to Villa Park in the instance that Wilder does not secure safety.

United signed Archer for £18million in the summer and the 22-year-old has since scored four Premier League goals, including the opener on Saturday. The report suggests that relegation would see the Blades return their forward to the Midlands for a reduced fee.

Wilder's side remain bottom of the league and seven points away from safety, with 14 games remaining. They look set to do battle with Luton, Burnley and Everton for survival.