Marc Guehi 'assist' and offside rule under scrutiny after Everton's defeat to Man City

A goal scored by Everton's Thierno Barry on Monday has reignited debate over offside laws after Marc Guehi's pass appeared to negate the striker's offside position.

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Barry found the net when City defender Guehi played the ball forward, with the Everton forward appearing to be in an offside position when the pass was made. However, under the current laws, a player cannot be penalised for being offside if they receive the ball directly from an opponent.

The incident has sparked discussion about whether the law is being applied as intended, with many questioning if the rule provides an unfair advantage to attacking teams. Some analysts argue that the interpretation allows forwards to gain an illegitimate benefit by positioning themselves behind the defensive line before an opponent plays the ball.

The debate comes amid broader scrutiny of officiating decisions across the league this season. The incident highlights ongoing discussions about the balance between the letter of the law and the spirit of the offside rule.

BBC Sport has reported on the controversy, examining whether the game's other major decisions were correct on the night in question.