Pearce calls for scrapping of rule

MANCHESTER CITY manager Stuart Pearce called for the current offside rule to be scrapped because no-one understands it.

City slumped to their sixth straight defeat at Upton Park after twice being denied equalisers by narrow offside decisions.

After Shaun Newton had fired West Ham ahead with his first goal for the club, Trevor Sinclair's goal-bound chip was touched before crossing the line by Micah Richards, who was judged to have been actively offside.

Darius Vassell thought he had rescued City a deserved point after turning in Albert Riera's cross 15 minutes from time, only to be pulled back on another marginal offside call.

Pearce was making no excuses - "I will never do that as a manager or as a person" - but for the good of the game he urged football's authorities to simplify the issue.

"It's a grey area in football. If it was up to me, offside would be offside. As it stands, linesmen and referees are under so much pressure it's ridiculous," he said.