Premier League: Christian Benteke's winner for Liverpool v Bournemouth shouldn't have stood

Christian Benteke: Winner against Bournemouth 'should not have stood'

Christian Benteke's controversial winner for Liverpool against Bournemouth on Monday should not have stood, the Premier League has admitted.

Benteke's close-range goal at Anfield was allowed to stand by referee Craig Pawson despite team-mate Philippe Coutinho having been stood in an offside position and attempting to play the ball. The strike handed the Reds a 1-0 win as they maintained their 100% start to the season. 

The decision was widely criticised after changes to the interpretation of the offside rule this summer and the Premier League, in conjunction with referees' body PGMOL, has clarified the situation, accepting an error was made.

The goal also came under the microscope in our weekly REF REVIEW, with our panel deciding unanimously that the strike should not have been allowed to stand.

More to follow...

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Joe Gomez admits surprise to be getting regular game time at Liverpool

Joe Gomez: Admits he's still learning

Joe Gomez has played "far more than expected" at Liverpool since arriving this summer from Charlton and admits he is "still learning".

Signed from Charlton for an initial £3.5million this summer, Gomez was expected to be more of a squad player under Brendan Rodgers due to his lack of top-flight experience.

However, the 18-year-old has started both of the Reds' first two Premier League games at left-back - this despite being considered more of a centre-back - in place of the out-of-form Alberto Moreno.

Having made just 21 league appearances in his primitive career before heading to Anfield, Gomez admits the immediate starts have come as a surprise, but he is enjoying his spell.

"To be fair, it probably hasn't really sunk in yet," the England Under-19 international told the club website. "I think it will over time, but at the moment I'm just trying to keep going and keep working.

"It's definitely been far more than I expected, to come in and play the first two games. I knew there was a possibility of me going out on loan, but this was the aim - to try to get into the team."

Gomez is all too aware of the gulf between his previous experience at Championship level and the Premier League, but says his "top-quality" team-mates have helped him make the transition.

"It's the Premier League and straight away there are different qualities - the tempo is a lot higher," he said.

"I'm adjusting and that's only helping me because I'm still learning. Even in training with the rest of the boys, they're all top-quality players and it helps me to work alongside them.

Liverpool have kept two clean sheets in their opening two games with Gomez a crucial aspect of the defence, but the teenager is aware that he faces a battle to keep hold of his starting place.

"It's early doors and only two games into a long season, so I know there's still a lot of hard work to be done. I have to keep working hard to try to stay in the team.

"I'm enjoying it and I'm happy to have played - and obviously we've got two good wins, so it's been great so far."

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Nathaniel Clyne wants a Champions League spot with Liverpool

Nathaniel Clyne: Hopes to help Liverpool to a top-four finish

Nathaniel Clyne insists Liverpool are looking for a top-four place in the Premier League as a 'minimum requirement' this season.

The Anfield team started the campaign well with two 1-0 wins against Stoke and Bournemouth and they face Arsenal next on Monday at the Emirates Stadium.

Liverpool finished second two years ago but failed to build on that last term, ending in sixth instead and qualifying only for the Europa League.

This time around Clyne, recruited from Southampton for a fee of around £12.5m this summer, wants back into the Champions League again.

He told Sky Sports News HQ: "We're involved in a lot of competitions. We've got Europe, the FA Cup and the Premier League.

"We are going to try to go into those games looking to win every single one of them. The aim is top four or anything higher. We've done a lot of work on the training field and organisation.

"Everyone knows their roles and their jobs. We've also the hunger to defend and try to keep the ball out the net. That's the main thing really."

Clyne is one of seven signings made by Rodgers this summer and the 24-year-old feels another, striker Christian Benteke, can play an influential part.

He scored his first goal for the club to settle the contest with Championship winners Bournemouth and there are high hopes for the Belgian on Merseyside.

Clyne added: "He dominates in the air and you can see in training how powerful and strong he is. He's a real target for us physically.

"He's a good finisher as well and his qualities are holding the ball up and bringing other players into play.

"That's lovely for myself as well because I like to join in with the attacks and put crosses into the box for him to score with his head."

Liverpool's start is better than Arsenal's, who lost their opening fixture at home to West Ham then won 2-1 at Crystal Palace last weekend.

Clyne is relishing the chance to take them on in London on Monday and feels stopping home player Alexis Sanchez will be crucial if Rodgers' team are to take anything from the match.

He said: "You look at all his movements, how he picks up the ball and receives it and how he takes on players and whether he comes inside or outside.

"He's a great player and he works hard so we're going to have to do a good job in stopping him."

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Chelsea, Arsenal & Manc duo tipped to win

Manchester United: Backed to maintain 10% record

Manchester United, Stoke, West Ham, Chelsea, Manchester City and Arsenal have been backed - now join our prediction league and make your calls.

This season we're giving you the chance to prove your knowledge in the TEAMtalk Prediction League on SportLobster.

To join our league, go to http://ift.tt/1fuAsq8 and insert the code 464ca9.

As well as Mark and some of our other writers, a different band or artist will also be making their predictions each week, giving you the chance to not only beat the TEAMtalk journalists but also some famous faces from the world of music.

Baz from the Fratellis did well in his slot last week, correctly predicting six of the 10 results to move Shoot Music up to sixth in the overall table, but last week's top 10 was once again made up solely of fans. Mark got only two of his predictions right and is down in 49th overall.

This week we have predictions from George Runciman of the band Storms, whose new track 'Shame' is available as a free download - stormsband.com

Week 3 Predictions

Manchester United v Newcastle: Mark 2-0, George 2-0

Crystal Palace v Aston Villa: Mark 2-2, George 1-1

Leicester v Tottenham: Mark 1-2, George 2-2

Norwich v Stoke: Mark 1-2, George 0-1

Sunderland v Swansea: Mark 1-1, George 1-2

West Ham v Bournemouth: Mark 2-0, George 2-0

West Brom v Chelsea: Mark 0-2, George 1-3

Everton v Manchester City: Mark 0-2, George 1-2

Watford v Southampton: Mark 1-0, George 0-0

Arsenal v Liverpool: Mark 3-1, George 2-1

Five from George Runciman

How did you come to support your club and what are your favourite memories from your time as a fan?

My dad's a Hammer so he introduced me to West Ham at a very young age. My dad's mate Bob, however, tried to convert me into a Man United fan by sneakily lending me his Man United VHS of them winning the league, which I loved. This apparently scared the sh*t out of my dad and brother but I was never gonna be a glory hunter, it was all about West Ham for me.

My favourite memory is when Di Canio scored the winner at Old Trafford in the FA Cup and it will take me a while to forget us beating Spurs three times last season. The best moment was the 3-0 win at White Hart Lane - Ravel Morrison's goal at the end was just pure genius.

Who have been your biggest heroes during your time supporting the club?

Tony Cottee, Julian Dicks, Rio Ferdinand, Paolo Di Canio, Carlos Tevez, Bobby Zamora, and Ludek Miklosko.

What do you make of the current team? What are your hopes for the season?

I think our best 11 is really strong but our squad could definitely do with strengthening in certain areas. I like that we're linked with Tom Huddlestone and Lucas Leiva; if we can sign either one of them along with Alex Song then we'll have a great pool of central midfielders to choose from.

We could probably do with adding another winger too, Jarvis just isn't up to it. Slightly controversial but I'd love us to put a cheeky 7 or 8million pound bid in for Mario Balotelli too, which if accepted would be half the price of Charlie Austin. The last time we gambled on an Italian maverick that nobody wanted to touch, it paid off, and I just think our fans would love him and we'd get the best out of him.

I think our aim, if we can keep the injuries to a minimum, should be to try and win a domestic cup and get a top-half league position this season.

Everyone has a soft spot for another team. Who's yours and why?

Sheffield Wednesday. My Mum was born in Hillsborough, they were her team, and all my cousins support them too. They're a great club; hopefully we'll see them back where they belong soon, in the Premier League.

What's going on with the band at the moment?

We're getting a decent amount of plays from BBC Introducing and XFM at the moment, which is good. We're finishing our residency at St. Moritz, London, for Blow Up on August 28. Then we've got a footy team together for Soccer Six at Mile End Stadium on September 6 with The Darkness and The Enemy which we're looking forward to. I'm gonna go in goal though cause my ankles are made of plasticine.

To join our league, go to http://ift.tt/1fuAsq8 and insert the code 464ca9.

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