90min

Premier League announce new offside guidance following controversial Manchester City goal

By Matt O'Connor-Simpson

The Premier League hope to avoid further controversy by changing the guidelines
The Premier League hope to avoid further controversy by changing the guidelines / Jacques Feeney/Getty Images
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The Premier League have confirmed guidance has been added regarding the offside law, with players no longer allowed to challenge for the ball if they come from an offside position.

The clarification of the rules was necessary after Manchester City scored a controversial goal against Aston Villa last week. With the game at 0-0, City took the lead when Rodri came back from an offside position to tackle Tyrone Mings, before laying it off for Bernardo Silva to score.

Mings was left fuming by the decision
Mings was left fuming by the decision / Clive Brunskill/Getty Images

In the aftermath of the strike, Dean Smith was red carded for remonstrating with the officials, while Mings described the decision as 'nonsense'.

In response to the incident, the Premier League discussed the ruling with both IFAB and UEFA. The results of these talks were then released in a statement, which read: "Where a player in an offside position immediately impacts on an opponent who has deliberately played the ball, the match officials should prioritise challenging an opponent for the ball, and thus the offside offence of 'interfering with an opponent by impacting on the opponent’s ability to play the ball' should be penalised.

"Accordingly, if a similar situation to the one involving Rodri’s impact on Mings occurred in a future match, then the impact would be penalised for offside.

Smith's reaction saw him sent off
Smith's reaction saw him sent off / CLIVE BRUNSKILL/Getty Images

"However, it is important to remember that where a player in an offside position receives the ball from an opponent who deliberately plays the ball (e.g. a misplaced pass or miskick), including by deliberate handball, the player is not considered to have gained an advantage, unless it was a deliberate save by any opponent.

"Accordingly, Aston Villa’s first goal against Newcastle United on Saturday 23 January 2021 was correctly not penalised for offside as Ollie Watkins received the ball following a deliberate play by Fabian Schar and did not impact Schar’s ability to play the ball."