Mark Clattenburg clears Everton confusion vs Hull City after Brennan Johnson controversy
Mark Clattenburg received several messages as Brennan Johnson's Everton goal was disallowed against Hull City.
David Moyes' team travelled to MKM Stadium and came away with a point after a 2-2 draw.
The Toffees thought they'd taken the lead in the 34th minute after the Wales international found the back of the net, but it was subsequently disallowed after a VAR review.
Johnson was deemed to be offside when Harrison Armstrong initially got his shot off.
Nobel Mendy saved the shot on the line, and it fell to Ryan Giles, whose clearance was intercepted by the Blues' winger, deflecting the ball into the goal.
There has been confusion regarding the phase of play in the situation, and Clattenburg has cleared some of it.
Why was Brennan Johnson Everton goal disallowed vs Hull City?
Johnson's goal was disallowed after challenging Giles, with several questions surrounding the controversy.
For starters, the law requires the forward to have at least two opposition players, one of whom is usually a goalkeeper, between them and the goal line to be onside.
Johnson was ahead of Konstantinos Tzolakis, with Mendy the only defender ahead of the attacker.
The phase of play also doesn't change because the Senegalese defender makes a save rather than control the ball, and Giles was then challenged by Johnson, who was offside when the initial shot was taken.
Speaking on So Near, Yet So VAR on 11 October, Clattenburg said, "It's absolutely hilarious because the amount of messages I got on my phone from people in and around Everton saying, 'How can this be offside.'
"If that were the goalkeeper, no one would be talking about it. But because it's a defender, people are confused. Under the laws of the game, a save is still classed in the phase of an offside.
"So once the defender makes the save, it then goes towards a Hull defender and Johnson. What then confuses the situation is the Hull defender clears the ball and it hits Johnson and goes in the goal.
"And everyone is saying is that not a new phase after the save. But Johnson was in the act of challenging for the ball with the Hull defender. He was close enough to challenge for the ball."
David Moyes gets another January reminder vs Hull City
Thierno Barry got on the scoresheet for Everton against Hull, but he certainly could've done better.
The 23-year-old striker missed four big chances at MKM Stadium, as per Sofascore, a consistent theme for him since moving to the Toffees.
Moyes' team will likely keep dropping points if they don't make the most of the chances they create.
Ahead of January, the Merseyside outfit should be seriously contemplating investing in a reliable goalscorer.
Barry is the only natural number nine at the Scottish manager's disposal, but his profligacy could be the difference between the Blues challenging for a European spot or finishing in the bottom half of the Premier League table again.