Twitter Goes into Meltdown over New Offside Law as Christian Benteke Goal Stands

Officials were given an early chance to implement fresh changes to the offside rule on Monday night, when an offside Philippe Coutinho attempted to make contact with a Jordan Henderson cross before Christian Benteke put the ball into the net during Liverpool's clash with Bournemouth.

The new rule states that if a player in an offside position attempts to play the ball, and so interferes with a defender/goalkeeper, then it is offside, irrespective of whether or not that player touches the ball.

Unfortunately for the Premier League newcomers, the offside was not given and the goal stood.

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That goal was offside, under the Premier League's new rules. Coutinho clearly makes an action towards the ball. Unlucky, Bournemouth

— The Football Ramble (@FootballRamble) August 17, 2015
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Welcome to the PL Bournemouth: score a goal which may well have stood & then concede one clearly offside Under new interpretation.

— Mark Pougatch (@markpougatch) August 17, 2015
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Safe to say, with all the media attention given to the changes, fans on Twitter weren't impressed with the (lack of a) decision.

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That Benteke goal is an absolute joke. What's the point in changing the offside rule if you then complete ignore it?! #shambles

— Emma Storey (@JournoSpursEmma) August 18, 2015
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New offside rule going well, then. Couldn't be clearer. It really couldn't.

— John Cross (@johncrossmirror) August 17, 2015
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I see that new offside law is working wonders. 🙈🙈🙈🙈🙈🙈

— James Stubbs (@Stubbs89) August 17, 2015
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Others put it down to the looming presence of the famous Kop behind the goal...

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It's the Kop end so NOT offside !!! #lfc #afcb

— Alan Shearer (@alanshearer) August 17, 2015
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New offside rules obviously don't apply tonight at Anfield.

— Stuart MacFarlane (@Stuart_PhotoAFC) August 17, 2015
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Fair to say Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville wasn't impressed either...

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