Why Florian Wirtz’s controversial Fulham goal stood despite the Liverpool player’s surprising admission about offside
During Liverpool’s Sunday fixture at Craven Cottage, Florian Wirtz scored an equalizer in the 57th minute that initially appeared problematic. The linesman flagged for offside immediately after the ball entered the net. Despite visual evidence suggesting an infringement, VAR officials ultimately validated the goal, leaving many observers baffled by the decision.
Wirtz himself expressed surprise at the outcome, having anticipated his strike would be disallowed. The German forward received a pass from Conor Bradley and curled a left-footed finish into the bottom corner. His positioning seemed to place him ahead of Fulham’s defensive line. Former defender Jamie Carragher voiced skepticism on commentary, questioning how the goal could possibly stand given the replays.
The Premier League employs a unique 5cm tolerance margin for offside determinations. This threshold differs significantly from other major European competitions including Spain’s La Liga, Italy’s Serie A, and Germany’s Bundesliga, which measure offside to the millimetre. The Champions League similarly uses stricter precision. In Wirtz’s case, his right foot fell just inside the permissible green line.
Semi-automated offside technology was introduced to the Premier League in April 2025, replacing manual VAR lines used previously. The system incorporates built-in tolerance to provide attackers beneficial decision-making margins. This technical allowance proved decisive in validating Wirtz’s controversial effort, transforming what appeared certain disallowance into legitimate play.
The match concluded 2-2 following Harrison Reed’s stunning 30-yard strike in stoppage time. Liverpool thought victory was secured when Cody Gakpo scored late, but Fulham’s dramatic intervention denied the visitors three points. Liverpool extended their unbeaten league run to seven matches. However, they remain fourth, fourteen points adrift of Arsenal and facing fixture challenges ahead.
