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Premier League referees change guidance to rule that allowed controversial Bernardo Silva goal to stand after Manchester City team-mate Rodri came from offside position to steal the ball off Tyrone Mings

Guidance has been added around the offside rule – which would have rendered Manchester City's controversial goal against Aston Villa offside in a move which has been described as a 'face-saving exercise'.

Urgent talks were held after outrage followed Bernardo Silva's opener at Villa Park, which saw City midfielder Rodri come from an offside position to steal the ball from Tyrone Mings and set up the Portugal man to break the deadlock in an eventual 2-0 win for the home side.

Mings himself branded the decision 'nonsense' while his manager, Dean Smith, was sent off for overstepping the mark with his protests against the VAR-referred goal to the referee.