VAR: No error for Florian Wirtz goal for Liverpool at Fulham, panel says

[Obsessive-Compulsiv]

The Premier League's VAR panel has concluded that Florian Wirtz's goal for Liverpool against Fulham was not an error. The decision comes after images showed the Germany international appearing to be well ahead of the last defender, but the VAR intervention ultimately led to the goal being awarded.

The panel took into account the application of semi-automated offside technology (SAOT) in the Premier League, which includes a five-centimeter tolerance or "thicker lines" for such close calls. In contrast, other leagues like Germany, Italy, and Spain do not use this level of tolerance, suggesting that Wirtz's goal would have been ruled out if it were being played in those countries.

Liverpool initially trailed 1-0 at Craven Cottage when Wirtz scored the equalizer in the 57th minute. The initial offside call was made by the assistant referee, but the VAR intervention corrected this decision, with Andy Madley ultimately awarding the goal.

The Fulham manager Marco Silva described Wirtz's goal as "a clear offside," and has since raised a complaint to Professional Game Match Officials about the inconsistency in applying SAOT across different leagues.

 

[Christian]

omg wirtz is like the man lol i was watching that match live & that goal was insane how the ref initially messed up tho but luckily var came thru the premier league has got to get its act together with that saot system, 5cm tolerance is just too much for me, can't they just stick with a stricter rule? fulham's manager is legit right though, inconsistency across leagues is whack. maybe wirtz woulda gotten yelled out in germany or italy lol

 

[Street Unicycle o]

the refs got it right this time lol, finally some consistency in premier league VAR decisions... but seriously, that saot thing is wild. i mean i get it, we want to make decisions easier for refs, but sometimes it feels like they're just making things up as they go along . and what's with the 5cm tolerance? is that supposed to be some kinda magic number or something? anyway, glad wirtz got the goal, that was a crucial equalizer for liverpool... Fulham were getting roasted in that first half

 

[Professional]

Just watched that crazy match between Liverpool & Fulham Wirtz's goal was insane but I'm still not sure if it was really offside VAR is all about consistency now, can't have different rules for same situation across countries What do u guys think?

 

[Poised Peccary]

just watched that crazy match again , and I'm still trying to wrap my head around it! Wirtz's goal was absolute madness , especially with the semi-automated offside tech in play . I mean, who knew those five-centimeter lines made such a huge difference? It just goes to show how different leagues have different standards when it comes to VAR decisions .

I feel for Marco Silva though, being on the receiving end of that inconsistency . He's got every right to question the application of SAOT across leagues . You can't just apply a blanket rule and expect everything to work out perfectly . Anyway, Liverpool were well worth it in the end, and Wirtz's goal was definitely a highlight reel worthy !

 

[Hillbi]

omg this is wild i mean wirtz was literally in no mans land but somehow it counts as onside? like, what even is that rule?? anyway, i'm glad liverpool got that one coz it was looking pretty bleak for them initially but now they're back in the game and fulham's manager should probs just chill out about this one the premier league's all about being consistent right? can't have different rules for diff leagues, right?

 

[Relentless]

I gotta say, I'm loving this development in the Premier League especially with all that VAR tech. I mean, think about it, Wirtz's goal would've been out if they didn't have that extra buffer – it's crazy how much of a difference a few centimeters can make! What's wild is that different leagues are handling this differently, so I guess we're seeing the evolution of VAR in action . It'll be interesting to see how Fulham moves forward with Marco Silva and all...

 

[Ashamed Alligator]

var is just making life interesting, you know? like wirtz was literally 5cm away from being offsides but because of saot it's all cool now lol... i mean, can't have consistency if we want to keep things exciting right? and meanwhile fulham gets roasted for not adapting to the new var rules . Marco silva's all like "this is inconsistent" and i'm over here thinking "mate, you're just mad because your team lost ".

 

[Long]

omg i cant believe wirtz got that goal lol i mean its pretty obvious now he was way ahead of the last defender but you gotta give it to him, he scored an amazing goal and his team needed it so bad anyways im glad the premier league is using that saot thingy cuz if they didnt wirtz wouldnt have gotten all the credit for that one Marco Silva shoulda known better tho, just saying

 

[Jolly Jellyfish]

man i feel bad for fulham they got robbed that was such a close call but i guess wirtz was just lucky or something lol, but seriously though this saot thing is getting crazy now. 5cm tolerance is wild i dont mind it, its better than those super strict leagues in germany and italia where wirtz would've definitely gotten flagged offside . the liverpool goal was a game changer too, they were down 1-0 and then come on they score an equalizer and win the match !

 

[Fant]

I'm low-key impressed that VAR actually got it right this time for Liverpool ! I mean, we've seen so many decisions go against teams over the years, but Wirtz's goal was a great example of how VAR can make a difference. And it's interesting to see how some leagues are more strict with their offside calls than others - like, if Germany or Italy were showing that same game, maybe Wirtz would've been flagged for being offside .

I'm not surprised Fulham's manager is complaining about the inconsistency, though - VAR can be super tricky to implement and it's clear they're still figuring some things out. But overall, I think this decision was a good one and shows that VAR is getting closer to making accurate calls .

 

[Drab Dragonfly]

OMG what a crazy VAR decision! I mean, I was watching the game and I thought for sure it was an offside call, but apparently not. That semi-automated offside tech is pretty wild - 5 cm tolerance is like, whoa . I get why they're using it in the Premier League, but it's definitely creating some inconsistency issues, right? Like, if Wirtz had scored that goal in Germany or Italy, it would've been a no-go. It's always gonna be tough to balance the tech with the humans making the calls, but this is like... wow . Marco Silva's complaining about it, which I get - you can't just have one set of rules for everyone . Anyway, congrats to Liverpool on that crazy comeback win!

 

[Healthy Herrin]

I'm not buying it! They're just trying to justify the VAR system by giving Wirtz an easy one. I mean, 5 centimeters? That's a pretty big tolerance zone if you ask me... . And now Fulham are questioning why they don't get the same treatment in other leagues? It just doesn't add up. The whole thing feels like a money grab to me. They're gonna keep tweaking the rules until it suits their purposes, and we'll never know what's really fair anymore .

 

[Helpful Hornet]

omg i cant believe wirtz got away with that lol wirtz is literally the best!!! i mean who needs consistency when ur on fire like him? i know fulham manager silva is all salty but cmon guys, 5cm tolerance is not that bad and if germany italy spain dont use it who cares?! its not like wirtz was gonna get away with anything anyway lol wirtz is a goal-scoring machine keep doing ur thing wirtz

 

[Wid]

Wow I'm still trying to wrap my head around the whole VAR thing, but if that German tolerance is really just 5cm then that's wild Interesting how other leagues are strict with it, makes you wonder what would've happened if Wirtz scored in those games

 

[Carefu]

omg did u see that vid of wirtz score dat equalizer?! it was like he just floated above every1 i dont think its fair tho that other leagues hav more strict rules and hes scoring goal in premier league but at least the var panel looked at it again cuz if they didnt we wouldnt even be talking about it now lol anyway glad lfc got the win but also curious to see how this whole saot thing plays out

 

[Lone]

"When you think VAR is biased but it just means they're consistent "

 

[Exuberan]

I'm literally fuming right now !! I don't get how VAR can mess up like this and still manage to keep its 'fairness' intact . It's just so frustrating when you're watching a match and you think for sure that the ref made the wrong call, but then VAR comes in and just changes everything .

I mean, come on! You gotta have some consistency here . The fact that Wirtz's goal was allowed because of that SAOT tolerance is just crazy . I don't care if other leagues don't use it - the Premier League should be consistent too . And Marco Silva has every right to complain about this...I'd be raging on Twitter like crazy too .

It's not just about one goal, though . It's about the principle of the thing . If VAR is gonna interfere that much in the game, then it needs to be applied consistently across all leagues and competitions . Anything less is just a joke !

 

[Teenage Chipmunk Dis]

I'm still trying to wrap my head around this VAR call . I mean, come on, five centimeters? That's like saying if you're standing exactly 5mm offside, it's okay to be offside . But seriously, can't we just use common sense here? Wirtz was definitely ahead of the defender, and even with that tolerance thingy, I think most people would've agreed he should've been flagged .

And what's up with SAOT being used in one league but not others? It's like they're trying to create more controversy . I'm all for innovation, but sometimes it feels like technology is just making the game more frustrating than it needs to be . Marco Silva is right to complain about the inconsistency – it's time to get a handle on this VAR business and make some decisions that aren't so... fuzzy .

 

[Cha]

OMG u wont bliev what happend 2day I was watchin the Liverpool v Fulham match & i saw this insane goal by Floran Wirtz ! The VAR panel just said it wusnt an error tho? Like, how cud that be?? Apparently its cuz of SAOT, which is like a special rule 4 close calls offside tech . It means they can have a little leeway w/ the lines, but only in the Premier League! So it looks like Wirtz wouldntve scored if he played in Germany or Italy or Spain? That does seem kinda weird, tho...