Fulham have formally contacted the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) regarding Florian Wirtz’s contentious goal for Liverpool in their Premier League clash on Sunday. The 57th-minute strike, which brought Liverpool level at 1-1, sparked debate as it was initially flagged for offside before being allowed after a VAR (Video Assistant Referee) review.

What Happened During the Match

During the second half, Wirtz struck the ball past Fulham’s goalkeeper to equalize, but the goal immediately drew protests from Fulham players and staff. Replays suggested the midfielder might have been in an offside position. Despite this, the goal stood after VAR consultation, and the game eventually ended 2-2, with both sides scoring during stoppage time.

Fulham manager Marco Silva described the decision as “a clear offside” and confirmed the club has reached out to PGMOL for clarification.

“The club is trying to get in contact [with PGMOL] – until now we didn’t have any feedback,” Silva said.

He added that dialogue with PGMOL is likely to be part of their ongoing private engagement with Premier League clubs, overseen by chief Howard Webb.

The Controversy Explained

Wirtz himself seemed surprised by the decision, telling Sky Sports:

“I was sure it was offside, so I didn’t even celebrate.”

The Premier League uses a tolerance level of approximately 5cm (1.95in) when determining offside, a measure originally introduced to account for inaccuracies in offside technology. This margin allows for slight positional errors, meaning a player marginally offside may be judged onside.

Another factor contributing to the controversy is the choice of video frame. VAR officials have three frames to choose from, representing different moments of contact with the ball. In Wirtz’s case, VAR selected one frame, while TV broadcasters used a slightly different one—making him appear more clearly offside in the broadcasted footage.

Silva Questions Consistency

Despite these explanations, Silva remains unconvinced:

“I don’t have a way to measure, but in my opinion it is much more than 5cm. When you see the moment of the pass in all the images, the player was clearly offside.”

He also highlighted inconsistencies with previous decisions, citing Emile Smith Rowe’s disallowed goal against Crystal Palace, in which the offside margin was far smaller than the current 5cm tolerance.

“Where was the story about 5cm tolerance when we scored against Palace? It was half of the nail, probably 1cm or 2cm that was offside,” Silva said.

What Happens Next

PGMOL has not yet issued a response, but the situation highlights ongoing debates around VAR accuracy, offside tolerances, and the semi-automated system now used in the Premier League. Fulham are awaiting feedback, emphasizing the importance of clarity and consistency in officiating decisions.

The controversy over Wirtz’s goal is likely to reignite discussions about VAR protocols, measurement tolerances, and whether adjustments are needed to ensure fairness in high-stakes matches.