Question: When is a goal celebration not a goal celebration?

Answer: Under Fifa's new law, when a player removes his shirt in the process.

Simple enough for everyone to follow you'd think.

Well, not quite - as the confusion surrounding Tim Cahill's celebration, and subsequent dismissal on Saturday proved.

Cahill could escape ban Blatter attacks Bennett Moyes has mixed emotions Report: Man City 0-1 Everton

The Everton midfielder was booked for pulling his shirt over his head, but not removing it, after scoring their winner at Man City.

And he was duly sent off as it was his second yellow card.

Both Cahill and manager David Moyes, angry at the decision, confessed to being in the dark about precisely what is and isn't allowed under the new Fifa directive introduced in July.

And then president Sepp Blatter added to the confusion by then insisting Cahill should not have been dismissed after all.

Robbo's view

As things stand, Law 12, according to Fifa's official website, is as follows:

• A player who removes his jersey when celebrating a goal must be cautioned for unsporting behaviour.

• The removal of the jersey after a goal has been scored is unnecessary and players must avoid such excessive displays of celebration.

  Have Your Say on 606 Have Fifa got the ruling right?

• The removal of a jersey is defined as removing the jersey over the head or covering the head with the jersey.

That's the letter of the law which referees, as in Steve Bennett's case with Cahill, will try to uphold until told otherwise.

But whether the powers-that-be decide the spirit of the law needs to be re-examined as a result is another matter...