Manchester City’s first goal in its 2-0 Premier League victory against Aston Villa on Wednesday will go down as one of the most controversial goals of the season.
A goal had yet to be scored heading into the final 11 minutes of normal time. Controversy struck when a City player headed the ball up the field to no one in particular. The only City player nearby was Rodri standing in an obvious offside position.
What should have been a routine clearance for Villa’s Tyrone Mings turned into a disaster and a complicated situation that ultimately resulted in City taking the lead.
Dean Smith, Aston Villa’s manager, was outraged that the goal stood and was shown a red card for his protests. After the game, Smith said that the decision to not call the goal offside is a “pathetic law, pathetic decision.”
In response to Smith’s protests towards referee Jon Moss, the English FA charged Smith for using abusive language towards an official.
BREAKING
Aston Villa boss Dean Smith has been charged by the FA for using insulting/abusive language towards a match official in the game against Manchester City pic.twitter.com/9xuj00OcYC— Football Daily (@footballdaily) January 21, 2021
Mings took his displeasure with the call to social media after Villa’s defeat. He responded to former referee Peter Walton on Twitter and called the incident nonsense.
Never even heard of that rule, just let players stand offside, then run back & tackle you? In hindsight I should’ve cleared it, 100%, but didn’t even know that was the case. Nonsense https://t.co/2UiFEV9eqH
— Tyrone Mings (@OfficialTM_3) January 20, 2021
For those unable to view BT Sport’s video, Walton defended Manchester City’s goal and quoted a rule for being offside that states: “A player in an offside position receiving the ball from an opponent who deliberately plays the ball is not considered to have gained an advantage.”
Walton said that Mings controlling the ball played Rodri onside and the goal was completely legal.
Mings wasn’t satisfied with the answer. The Villa defender quote tweeted a video from the Supercoppa Italiana, where a similar situation occurred and the offside call was made.
Meanwhile...this was given offside tonight... pic.twitter.com/9oNnLOVDUj
— Jake Humphrey (@mrjakehumphrey) January 20, 2021
https://t.co/VBY5fnztzr pic.twitter.com/hEdOmoVRQe
— Tyrone Mings (@OfficialTM_3) January 21, 2021
According to the laws of the game the correct call was made. Critics of the call present the case that at some point, perhaps, common sense should overrule the laws of the game.
Should City’s first goal have counted?
