Ivan Toney and Neal Maupay take advantage of lesser-known rule to put Brentford ahead in 3-1 defeat by Man City… and Pep Guardiola MISSES the goal with the Spaniard talking to his staff when the ball was played forward
- Neal Maupay put Brentford 1-0 ahead before they eventually lost 3-1 to Man City
- The Frenchman’s goal came after his side took advantage of a lesser-known rule
- IAN LADYMAN picks his top five centre-backs of all time in the Premier League – It all starts podcast
Neal Maupay bizarrely opened the scoring in Brentford’s 3-1 defeat to Man City after Ivan Toney took advantage of a lesser-known line.
A stunning hat-trick from Phil Foden ultimately condemned the Bees to defeat, but for 24 minutes of the match they were ahead after Maupay’s 21st minute goal.
When Brentford keeper Mark Fleken launched a goal kick towards the halfway line, Toney came back from an offside position.
The striker stopped Nathan Aké, but did not touch the ball, causing it to pass past the Dutchman.
Maupay – who was the furthest man forward – collected the loose ball and finished coolly past Ederson into the City net, as Pep Guardiola’s side protested to the officials that both he and Toney were offside.
Neal Maupay bizarrely opened the scoring in Brentford’s 3-1 defeat to Man City after his strike partner Ivan Toney took advantage of a lesser-known line
The move started when Bees keeper Mark Flokken launched a long goal kick forward
Toney (bottom right) came back from an offside position and stopped City defender Nathan Aké
He did not touch the ball and Maupay (right) was in an offside position. But you cannot be offside with a goal kick, so the Frenchman’s goal was allowed to stand
However, thanks to a loophole in the law, the goal was allowed, which prevented players from being offside on a goal kick.
As a result, both Toney’s role in goal from an offside position and Maupay’s position in front of his attacking partner when he took the ball are completely legal in the game.
If Toney had touched the ball, Maupay would have been offside, but despite his interference in the game he faced no repercussions.
Sky Sports commentator Seb Hutchinson pointed out the situation at the time and said: ‘I think some City players had to explain that rule too.
“If Toney had touched him it would have been offside. But he left it behind.”
City boss Pep Guardiola missed the target, with replays showing the Spaniard talking to his staff while looking away from the action as Flokken pumped the ball long
To make matters worse, Guardiola missed the goal, with replays showing the Spaniard chatting to his coaching staff while looking away from the action as Flokken pumped the ball long.
However, he will be happy with the way his side held their own and bounced back to take a crucial three points against a team who did the double over them last season.
City now trail Liverpool by just two points with a game in hand as they look to become the first side in Premier League history to win four titles in a row.