Gary Cahill becomes first defender to back Sportsmail's Hands Off In The Box campaign as Chelsea star says 'there is a difference between touching and grabbing'

Gary Cahill has become the first defender to back Sportsmail’s Hands Off In The Box campaign.

The Chelsea centre back says there is a difference between offering a physical presence in the box and grabbing hold of an opponent.

Cahill sits next to his defensive partner John Terry on coach journeys and laughed when the subject of his ‘double-headlock’ along with Branislav Ivanovic at Old Trafford was brought up.

Phil Dowd’s failure to spot the wrestling by Chris Smalling and Marcos Rojo in the area has sparked Sportsmail’s campaign to rid the game of underhand fouling.

‘I’ve seen the picture (of Terry’s ‘headlock’) and I sit with him on the coach,’ said Cahill. 

‘There is getting close, being physical in the box and then that. You run the risk of giving penalties away.’

Chelsea's Branislav Ivanovic wrestles with Chris Smalling while on the right, John Terry grapples Marcos Rojo

Ivanovic is holding on to Smalling after being dragged down in the area by the Manchester United defender

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Chelsea defenders Terry and Ivanovic go to ground after they were held in the box at Old Trafford

 There is a difference between touching the player... and grabbing hold of somebody

Cahill is not claiming to stand off attackers when defending set pieces, but believes there is a line that should not be crossed.

‘It’s a physical game,’ he added. ‘I wouldn’t say all of a sudden you can’t touch the player in the box, of course you have to get against him and make it difficult for him to head the ball.

‘But there’s a difference between touching the player, getting your arm across, and grabbing hold of somebody. 

'The Ryan Shawcross one (when he wrestled down Wilfried Bony in the box against Swansea) got punished recently so maybe it’s one the referees are looking at.'

Gary Cahill takes a tumble during Chelsea's 2-1 Capital One Cup win against Shrewsbury on Tuesday night

Cahill uses his body to get the better of Shrewsbury striker James Collins at Greenhous Meadow