Hawk-Eye will settle arguments

Arguments over offsides or whether the ball has crossed the goal-line are to get some high-tech assistance with the introduction by the new ITV Sport channel of missile tracking technology in its live coverage.

The Hawk-Eye system, pioneered by Channel 4 for its cricket coverage, has been adapted for football.

It uses six specialist cameras to create a three-dimensional track of both the ball and any player, with the cameras working out when an object enters a field of view.

A camera is placed behind each goal, and others are positioned between the goal-line and the halfway line on each side of the pitch.

The innovation will be used on more than 65 live Nationwide League and Worthington Cup games on ITV Sport, which launches with Manchester City's home game against Watford on Saturday.