Florian Wirtz scored during Liverpool's Premier League game against Fulham in London on Sunday, with the German midfielder starting to show his best form for the Reds
16:42, 04 Jan 2026Updated 17:02, 04 Jan 2026
Florian Wirtz was judged to be onside
Florian Wirtz was judged to be onside(Image: Sky Sports)
The Premier League has explained why Florian Wirtz's equalizer against Fulham was allowed to stand.
Liverpool faced Fulham in London on Sunday and went a goal down when Harry Wilson, a former Red, found the net during the first half. The Reds failed to register a shot on target during the opening 45 minutes of the game and didn't look awfully threatening.
Yet Liverpool started the second half on top. Cody Gakpo saw a goal disallowed for offside, and Wirtz initially suffered the same fate just before the hour mark. The German slotted the ball into the corner, but the assistant referee immediately flagged for offside.
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Replays suggested the decision was a narrow one; it was difficult to predict which way the offside decision would go. But after a lengthy review by the Video Assistant Referee (VAR), Wirtz's goal was awarded to get Liverpool back on level terms.
Liverpool and Fulham fans were keen to know why Wirtz's goal was awarded. The Premier League's 'Match Centre' account on X published a small message and an illustrative video to prove why Wirtz was onside for his goal.
The message read: "VAR checked the referee's call of no goal - and established that Wirtz was in an onside position and recommended that the goal was awarded."
The Premier League's illustration
The Premier League's illustration(Image: Premier League)
Former Premier League goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer, who played for the likes of Chelsea and Fulham during his career, covered Sunday's game for BBC Radio 5 Live. He believed Wirtz was offside when initially viewing the replay.
"Wirtz makes the run initially and wants the ball, but (Conor) Bradley continues the run and doesn't lay it off," said Schwarzer. "In the end, it runs to Wirtz, and he finished, but he is definitely offside."
Schwarzer added while the VAR review was ongoing: "When the ball does fall to him, Wirtz spins and fires it into that far corner. It was a really good finish. Without the technology, it still looked offside, and looking at the graphics, it's so, so tight."
Once the goal was awarded, Schwarzer continued: "Looking at replays of that Liverpool goal, every frame that they stop at it looks offside. It's a strange one."
While the decision to award Liverpool's equalizer will continue to be debated, the Reds were undoubtedly the better team leading up to the goal. "Liverpool have attacked more quickly in this half and been more aggressive," said Smith.
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Smith added: "It was a simple enough finish, but the most important thing was that he got in there."
More to follow...