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Let the beachball gags continue. Photograph: Nigel Roddis/Reuters

Nevermind Beachballgate, Liverpool’s Champions League hopes will also be up in the air if they lose to Lyon. You can follow the action with Paul from around 7.15pm (kick-off is 7.45pm).

In the meantime, there’s mixed news on the injury front: Steven Gerrard will return tonight, but Fernando Torres is still missing through injury.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The call was made tougher for officials by Glen Johnson’s intervention. Photograph: Nigel Roddis/Reuters

No – it should have been a drop ball, awarded at the point where the football and the beachball made contact.

It’s all about what impact the beachball had on play. In this case it clearly deflected the shot past the keeper: otherwise he could have made a save. So the moment the two balls made contact the beachball becomes an “outside agent” – the same as a fan, a dog or any other unexpected arrival on the pitch that clearly changes the course of a game.

If the ball had simply struck the outside agent on its way into the net without changing direction or speed then the goal would stand – the key here is that the outside agent has caused the ball to enter the net, by changing the course of its flight and distracting the keeper.

It was a tough call for the officials given Glen Johnson was sticking his foot out at the same time, but the goal should not have been given.