A little-known rule has explained why, although it initially appeared Florian Wirtz had strayed offside when he scored Liverpool’s first goal during their 2-2 draw at Fulham on Sunday afternoon, his strike was allowed to stand. The German, 22, found the back of the net for the second time since joining the reigning Premier League champions for £116 million over the summer.
While goals and assists have been hard to come by for the two-time Bundesliga Player of the Year, his recent upturn in creative output has been the result of sustained hard work and determination. Those watching his performances have seen what he brings to Arne Slot’s engine room, and he has quickly usurped Alexis Mac Allister in the pecking order as he continues to find his feet alongside the likes of Milos Kerkez and Hugo Ekitike.
Even so, his latest goal appeared to come with a slice of luck. Speaking on Sky Sports, Jamie Carragher said: “He looks offside to me. He looks like he’s further forward. I know sometimes the angles can fool you, but the fact we’ve got the penalty spot to look at, I just can’t believe that’s been given.” Wirtz himself, meanwhile, remarked: “I was sure it was offside, so I didn't even celebrate.”
Little-Known Rule Gave Florian Wirtz the Benefit of Doubt
Liverpool's Florian Wirtz rubs his head.
It took three minutes from the moment the flag was raised to suggest Wirtz was in an offside position for VAR to use semi-automated technology and determine that the goal should stand. That delay alone was enough to draw the ire of supporters, but even more frustrating for those with a Craven Cottage bias was that replays still appeared to show the German ahead of the last defender.
However, the reason Wirtz’s goal was awarded by VAR was due to a little-known tolerance level that has been in place in the Premier League since the introduction of semi-automated offsides. Although manual VAR lines have been scrapped in favour of a semi-automated system, there remains a small margin for error that is factored into the technology. See how fine the margins were below:
While offside decisions are given to the millimetre in other competitions such as the Champions League, the Premier League’s VAR system operates with a tolerance of up to five centimetres - effectively the width of the green line, according to the Daily Mail. Wirtz was therefore awarded the goal because his foot fell inside the green line, placing it within the system’s margin for error.
At the time of the tolerance level's introduction in the 2021/22 season, referees' body Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) estimated it could lead to an additional 20 goals a season, as per the BBC.
Wirtz Continues To Build Confidence at Liverpool
Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitike
Wirtz has now contributed to three goals in his last four Premier League matches and, with his intricate movements in and around the penalty box, is starting to look much more like the luxury player his manager was hoping to bed into Liverpool’s system. As aforementioned, however, signs of his influence on the team were evident much sooner than just the busy winter period.
The German’s relentless pressing, which has at times seen him cover more ground than Dominik Szoboszlai, has been a breath of fresh air in a team that looked lethargic during October and November’s down days. Even more promising, though, is the fact he is starting to build connections across the pitch, with his link-up play with Kerkez helping both players ditch their reputations as two of the worst signings of the Premier League season so far.
Liverpool’s draw at the weekend means they are now unbeaten in nine matches and remain three points clear of Chelsea in the Champions League qualification spots. However, with four draws during that run, there is certainly room for improvement as they rpepare for a trip to league leaders Arsenal on Thursday night.