A contentious equalizer from Liverpool’s Florian Wirtz has sparked a formal dispute, with Fulham officially complaining to the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) following a 2-2 draw at Craven Cottage on Sunday.
The complaint centers on the decision to allow Wirtz’s goal, his second for the club, after a lengthy VAR review, despite replays suggesting the £116 million midfielder was offside. The incident has reignited debate over the Premier League’s implementation of semi-automated offside technology and a newly introduced tolerance margin.
The controversy began in the 57th minute as Liverpool trailed to a Harry Wilson goal. Conor Bradley played a through ball to Wirtz, who finished past Bernd Leno. The assistant referee immediately raised his flag, but after a delayed review, referee Craig Pawson was instructed by VAR to award the goal.
This decision was based on the Premier League’s adoption of a “5cm tolerance level” this season, where an attacker is deemed onside if the technology places them within five centimeters of the last defender. The PGMOL has previously stated this rule aims to give attackers the benefit of the doubt and could lead to roughly twenty more goals per season.
However, the visual evidence shown to fans at Craven Cottage and on television broadcasts appeared to contradict the final call, leading to widespread confusion.
Fulham manager Marco Silva expressed his anger publicly, confirming the club had contacted the PGMOL for a detailed explanation. “We are still waiting for feedback from the Premier League,” Silva stated, adding that his own analysis showed a clear error.
“For me, I cannot believe how that goal was allowed, it was a clear offside… It’s much more than 5cm in my opinion”. Silva further argued that consistency was lacking, referencing a previous disallowed goal for his team against Crystal Palace where the margin appeared far smaller.
Fulham has felt aggrieved by several officiating decisions this season, including a controversial penalty awarded to Chelsea in August that the PGMOL later admitted was a mistake.
Remarkably, even the goalscorer believed the effort would be disallowed. “I was sure it was offside so I didn’t even celebrate,” Wirtz admitted after the match. The German international, who scored his first Premier League goal just over a week prior against Wolverhampton Wanderers, emphasized that his personal milestone was secondary to the team’s result. “I was happy that I scored but I’d rather take the three points,” he said, bluntly adding that the draw left Liverpool “in a difficult situation”.
The decision drew criticism from analysts and former officials alike. Former Fulham goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer, commentating on BBC Radio 5 Live, asserted, “he is definitely offside,” and later called the conclusive evidence “a strange one”.
A post by Football Insider also cited an “ex-PGMOL chief” who “absolutely explodes” at the decision. While Wirtz’s goal and a later strike from Cody Gakpo seemed to have secured a dramatic win for Liverpool, a spectacular 97th-minute equalizer from Harrison Reed ultimately forced the teams to share the points.
The result leaves Liverpool fourth in the table, now preparing for a critical away fixture against league leaders Arsenal, with the PGMOL’s response to Fulham’s complaint still pending.