Why Florian Wirtz's Equaliser Was Disallowed in Liverpool vs Nottingham Forest
- Florian Wirtz scored what appeared to be an equaliser for Liverpool against Nottingham Forest in the 32nd minute on August 29
- Referee Sam Barrott triggered a VAR review that overturned the goal, denying Wirtz his first Premier League goal of the 2026/27 campaign
- The Premier League, in an official statement, has since explained why the German international's goal was cancelled
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Florian Wirtz was denied what would have been his first Liverpool goal of the season after VAR overturned his equaliser against Nottingham Forest during the Premier League fixture at Anfield on 29 August.
Dan Ndoye had given Nottingham the lead before Wirtz struck from close range in the 32nd minute to draw Liverpool level.
Source: Getty Images
Referee Sam Barrott immediately signalled for the goal to be reviewed, and footage confirmed that Jeremie Frimpong had been standing in an offside position in the moments before he played the ball through to the German midfielder.
Why Wirtz's goal was disallowed
The Premier League confirmed the decision in an official statement posted on X, which read:
"VAR checked the referee's call of goal – and determined that Frimpong was in an offside position and recommended that the goal was disallowed."
Under the International Football Association Board (IFAB) Laws of the Game, a player in an offside position only becomes liable to punishment when actively involved in play.
That involvement includes playing or touching a ball passed by a teammate or interfering with an opponent by obstructing their line of vision, challenging for the ball, or making an obvious action that affects an opponent's ability to play.
Because Frimpong received the ball while offside and then directly assisted Wirtz's strike, the entire passage of play was invalidated.
Wirtz still waiting for first goal
The disallowed goal was a further blow for Wirtz, who has faced considerable scrutiny since completing his high-profile transfer from Bayer Leverkusen.
The 21-year-old remains without a Premier League goal for the campaign following the ruling, as celebrations inside Anfield were abruptly cut short. Although only two. games have been played thus far.
Steven Gerrard urges Liverpool to sign No. 6
In another Liverpool-related publication, YEN.com.gh reported that former Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard has urged the club’s hierarchy to address a key gap in their squad.
Gerrard believes the draw against Newcastle United showed Liverpool need a specialist No. 6 to strengthen the team.
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Source: YEN.com.gh
