Nit-pick favourite attack, going over own goal (8)
I believe the answer is:
pettifog
'nit-pick' is the definition.
The definition and answer can be both to do with communicating as well as being verbs in their base form.
Maybe you can see an association between them that I don't see?
'favourite attack going over own goal' is the wordplay.
'favourite' becomes 'pet' (synonyms).
'attack' becomes 'fit' (fit is a kind of attack).
'going over' says the letters should be written backwards.
'own goal' becomes 'OG' (football abbreviation).
'fit' backwards is 'tif'.
'pet'+'tif'+'og'='PETTIFOG'
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for pettifog that I've seen before include "trifle" , "Raise absurd objection" , "Quibble as lawyers" .)