ANALYSIS: FLORIAN WIRTZ VS VAR—THE TACTICAL BREAKDOWN OF LIVERPOOL’S CONTROVERSIAL EQUALIZING GOAL
Florian Wirtz scores a controversial goal, but Harrison Reed’s 30-yard screamer denies Liverpool victory. Read the full analysis.
Florian Wirtz figured he was offside when he scored that hotly debated goal in Liverpool’s wild 2-2 draw with Fulham. Arne Slot’s side had been chasing the game after Harry Wilson put Fulham ahead in the first half, but Wirtz got Liverpool back on level terms just before the hour.
Right after he scored, the linesman’s flag shot up. Wirtz looked offside when Conor Bradley slid the ball through to him. Even the replays seemed to back that up. But after a VAR check, the referee gave the goal.
Wirtz didn’t even celebrate at first. “I was sure it was offside, so I didn’t celebrate. I was happy to score, but honestly, I’d rather have the three points.”
Liverpool almost snatched all three when Cody Gakpo scored four minutes into stoppage time. But then Harrison Reed stepped up, grabbed the ball 30 yards out, and smashed it into the top corner just three minutes later. An absolute rocket.
Wirtz didn’t hide his frustration. “Not satisfied at all. We need points, and we wanted three points today. There’s no easy game in this league.
“We stepped it up in the second half. The intensity was much better. In the first half, our pressing was off, but after halftime, we improved.”
Talking about Reed’s goal, Wirtz just shook his head. “What can you say? It was unbelievable. You can’t save that.
“Normally, shots like that don’t go in. Maybe the actions before could’ve been better. It came from a throw-in, so we need to be sharper.
“We’re in a tough spot—two draws in a row. That’s not what we want. We have to get better, but it’s still a process.”
Arne Slot didn’t try to sugarcoat it. “If it had ended 1-1, I’d still be disappointed, but to be 2-1 up in stoppage time and then concede... it hurts.
“That shot was incredible. At 1-1, we brought Chiesa on to go for the win and then got ourselves ahead, but then we had to defend a long throw.
“We put Gomez on because he’s strong in the air, but they went short instead of long, and then—bang—what a strike.
“It’s not the first time this season we’ve let goals in at the very end. We’ve dropped so many points like this.
“It’s tough. Frustrating, too, that their first real chance went in. That’s happened before. They had another when Alisson was out, and they hit the bar, but apart from that, we kept it pretty tight away from home.
“We didn’t create loads of chances either, to be honest. Right before their first goal, we had a similar chance and almost scored.
“It keeps happening—just not enough. We’ve relied on luck all season, good and bad, and that has to change.
“We need to reach a point where a last-minute shot doesn’t mean we drop points. That’s our focus, but we’re not there yet.
“I liked the second half a lot more than the first. We controlled things, created chances—two disallowed goals, hit the bar, and scored one. That’s what you want, especially with so many attacking players missing.
“Sometimes, these guys deserve a break, but we’re not getting it. In the end, we can only blame ourselves.”
ANFIELD EXIT SIGNS: WHY SALAH’S FOREST FRUSTRATION SUGGESTS HIS LIVERPOOL CHAPTER IS FINALLY CLOSING
Anfield tension: Discover why Mohamed Salah was subbed for Rio Ngumoha and how his 9-game drought threatens Liverpool's top four.
Mohamed Salah just hasn’t looked like himself this season at Liverpool. Against Nottingham Forest, you could see his frustration all over his face.
Not long ago, things seemed to be turning around for him. Salah had started scoring again. In his last five games, he picked up four assists and a goal. It looked like maybe he was back.
But in the Forest game, Liverpool actually looked sharper after Salah went off and Rio Ngumoha came on. Ngumoha brought so much energy that he changed the whole vibe of the attack. Salah clearly wasn’t happy about getting subbed, even though it was the right call from Arne Slot.
Let’s be honest, who looks pleased when they get taken off? It always kicks off a load of speculation, with people watching for every tiny sign that something’s wrong, over-analysing every shrug or frown. But really, Salah just looked disappointed in his own performance and in the fact that Liverpool were still level with Forest. It probably wasn’t just about getting hooked.
Still, even with Salah’s recent improvement, it feels like his time at Anfield is winding down. It’s rare for a player to leave on a high note. The rumours about MLS and Saudi Arabia aren’t going away, and you get the sense he won’t be any different.
On BBC Five Live, Clinton Morrison didn’t hold back. He said if Salah and Liverpool keep playing like this, forget about the Champions League. “There are still some big problems there, aren’t there?” he told Rick Edwards. “Salah didn’t look happy again.”
Edwards agreed, saying, “If Liverpool play like that for the rest of the season, they’re not getting Champions League. And Salah didn’t look happy again, did he?”
Morrison pointed out how lively Ngumoha was when he came on, setting up a disallowed goal and sparking the team. “Salah didn’t do any of that at all,” he said.
Edwards pressed on, “I think there’s still a big issue there, isn’t there?”
Morrison agreed. “Yeah, well, he hasn’t scored in nine Premier League matches now. It’s his longest run without a goal. I don’t think things are harmonious behind the scenes between him and Arne Slot. We saw hints of it before Christmas, with that ‘throw me under the bus’ comment and then the apology. He looked grumpy about being subbed, but if you’re playing badly, you’re going to get subbed. That’s just how it goes.”
WHY BAYERN BELIEVE LIVERPOOL ALREADY SECURED A PERSONAL DEAL WITH YAN DIOMANDE
Football news: Diomande to Liverpool. Get the report on Leipzig’s price tag and Bayern’s secret plan for Gakpo.
Bayern Munich think Yan Diomande already has a deal lined up with Liverpool for a summer move to Anfield, at least according to recent reports.
Liverpool wants Diomand,e too. They see him as the perfect long-term replacement for Mohamed Salah. Their manager, Arne Slot, and sporting director, Richard Hughes, are both on board with the idea. Fraser Fletcher from TEAMtalk broke the news back in December 2025, and he’s usually reliable.
But it won’t be cheap. Sources say RB Leipzig want at least €100 million for Diomande. The 19-year-old Ivory Coast winger only joined Leipzig from Leganes last summer, so they’re not in a rush to sell.
Bayern are definitely interested, but word out of Munich is they’re convinced Liverpool already have something agreed with the player. That info comes from Bayern Space, a well-followed and respected account on X. They’ve got 32,500 followers, and even journalists like Lewis Steele from The Daily Mail trust their updates.
Here’s where things get interesting. Bayern Space doubled down on their Diomande claims, but they also say Bayern have turned their attention to Cody Gakpo as Plan B for the left wing. Apparently, some inside the club believe Gakpo could really thrive in the Bundesliga, similar to what Luis Díaz has done. And now, some of Bayern’s board members are starting to think the Premier League club with a personal agreement for Diomande has to be Liverpool. They don’t have concrete proof, just a strong feeling based on what they’re hearing from people close to Gakpo’s camp.
The irony? If Bayern spend up to £65 million to sign Gakpo from Liverpool, they’d basically be handing Liverpool the money to buy Diomande, the very player who turned them down in the first place. That’s how quickly things can flip at the top of the transfer market. Some people at Bayern say they’d be fine with it if Gakpo delivers right away on the pitch.
But what are Liverpool’s plans for Gakpo? That’s still up for debate. Bayern Space is adamant Bayern want him, but Pete O’Rourke from Football Insider says the German club aren’t planning to go after the Dutch forward.
O’Rourke thinks Liverpool could sell Gakpo this summer, but he’s not convinced Bayern will be the buyers. He points out that last summer, Bayern had to choose between Gakpo and Díaz for the left wing; they went with Díaz, and it’s worked out great. Díaz has settled in quickly and become a key player for Vincent Kompany’s team, basically locking down that left side.
Gakpo’s versatile; he can play anywhere up front, so you can see why Bayern would keep tabs on him. But O’Rourke doesn't think he’s a top priority for them at the moment. And Liverpool aren’t desperate to sell either, especially since they’re a bit short on left-sided attackers.
If Liverpool do sign another left winger this summer, maybe that could open the door for Gakpo to leave. But he’s under contract until 2030, and, by all accounts, he’s happy at Liverpool even if he gets some criticism from fans for his performances. Arne Slot clearly rates him, since he keeps giving him game time.