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.”
ALISSON "OPEN" TO LIVERPOOL EXIT AS JUVENTUS PREPARE MASSIVE SWAP DEAL OFFER
With Alisson Becker open to a Juventus move, Liverpool is scouring the market for a replacement ahead of a major summer rebuild.
Liverpool isn’t just sitting around; it’s actively searching for someone to take Alisson Becker’s spot since Juventus looks serious about making a bid for their veteran keeper. Even though Alisson’s got a year left on his deal after the club triggered an extension back in March, he might leave this summer.
He’s been Liverpool’s go-to guy in goal since he arrived from Roma in 2018; he’s played 332 games, cost £67 million, and for years, he was untouchable. But injuries have piled up during the 2025/26 season, and it’s starting to look like his time at Anfield could be coming to an end.
Juventus are now right in the mix. Apparently, Alisson isn’t against the idea of leaving Liverpool, and Juventus could even throw their own goalkeeper, Michele Di Gregorio, into the deal for the Brazilian.
Juve are ready to offer Alisson a contract running through the summer of 2028, with an extra year as an option. Sky Sports says Liverpool already knows what’s happening and is getting their ducks in a row before a massive transfer window.
The club’s facing a big summer. Salah and Robertson are going, and now they might need a new keeper too. Giorgi Mamardashvili has stepped up when Alisson was out, playing 18 games across all competitions, but he’s injured himself, leaving Slot with just Freddie Woodman as his only fit option.
Recently, Slot was asked if losing Alisson at the same time as Robertson and Salah would be too much. He said, “The club makes decisions it thinks are right. If this happens, there's a reason behind it, maybe another good reason why we did what we did.”
He pointed out that Liverpool doesn’t make transfers on a whim. Decisions are thought through, with the club’s interests always at heart.
Regarding keeping Alisson for his experience, Slot admitted that’s one argument, but there are others and, ultimately, the club will decide what’s best. Alisson’s contract still has a year left.
When pressed about Juventus, Slot replied, “Ali’s main focus is clear; he wants to get back in goal for Liverpool as soon as possible and then play for Brazil. That’s his short- and mid-term future.”
LIVERPOOL WARNED TO OFFER CURTIS JONES NEW CONTRACT BEFORE 14-MONTH DEADLINE
Analysis: Curtis Jones’ elite passing stats and why Jermaine Pennant believes Liverpool cannot afford to lose the versatile midfielder.
Liverpool really needs to sort out a new contract for Curtis Jones before they make the same mistake it did with Luis Diaz. That’s what the Inside Liverpool panel thinks, especially now that Diaz is lighting up Bayern Munich and making Liverpool’s transfer moves look pretty questionable.
Bayern’s front three, with Diaz in the mix, have racked up 100 goals across all competitions this season – the first time any non-Spanish team has done that. Diaz himself has bagged 26 goals in 46 matches and just scored against PSG in the Champions League semi-final.
Looking back, Liverpool probably wish they hadn’t let Diaz walk for £65 million last summer. Since then, fans at Anfield haven’t seen anyone who brings what he did: that relentless pressing, always looming as a threat on the counter. Sure, they’ve brought in Rio Ngumoha, a teenager, just 17, but Arne Slot, the coach, knows you can’t just expect him to fill those shoes right away.
On talkSPORT’s Inside Liverpool, Jermaine Pennant, who has played for the club, said that Liverpool has to bring in another proven attacker over the summer. Pennant’s point: Diaz was great whether he played in the middle or on the left, and Liverpool needs someone with that kind of flexibility. You don’t want to sign a backup like Hugo Ekitike and then end up overcrowding with too many strikers when the main guy returns.
Now, Jones could end up in the same boat this summer. There’s a lot of uncertainty around his future, and when you look at the numbers, he’s only got 14 months left on his contract. Several clubs in England and Europe are watching, and he’s only started 15 games for Liverpool this season.
Even though he hasn’t played much, Jones is impressing; he’s second only to Rodri in midfielder passes per 90 minutes in the Premier League. He’s also ranked second behind Moises Caicedo for passing accuracy, and right behind Rayan Cherki for carries. Pennant said the club can’t afford to let him go: Jones is so versatile; you can play him anywhere in midfield or even right back. He knows the club, loves it, and helps connect the squad.
Jones has been one of the top performers recently. Pennant thinks Liverpool should offer him a new deal, especially since the squad is thinning out and they’ve already lost Trent Alexander-Arnold. In the end, it’s up to Jones if he wants to stay or move for more game time, but Liverpool has to make the offer while they still can.
Must Read
