The ‘5cm tolerance-level’ meant that Danny Welbeck’s second goal against Liverpool on Saturday was allowed to stand.
Welbeck’s tap-in during the second-half ultimately won the game for Brighton, but it had looked suspiciously close to being offside to the naked eye.
The Premier League‘s automated system soon confirmed that the Seagulls’ striker was not in front of the ball when it was played to him by Jack Hinshelwood. However, it has now been confirmed by BBC expert Dale Johnson that Welbeck was in fact just ahead, but was deemed to be within the margin for error.
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Welbeck given benefit of the doubt
Liverpool supporters may remember during their match against Fulham at Craven Cottage in January that a Florian Wirtz goal was allowed to stand despite looking offside.
At the time, it was reported that a ‘5cm tolerance-level’ for the attacker being ahead of the defender is being employed by the Premier League this season, and, according to Johnson, it came back to bite them on the South Coast.
“On Danny Welbeck’s second goal for Brighton against Liverpool. This time it was Liverpool’s turn to concede a goal when the attacker was onside due to the in-built 5cm tolerance level,” the football issues correspondent posted to X on Sunday.
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Although some fans’ may be frustrated at the outcome on Saturday, the line for offside has to be drawn somewhere.
That Liverpool initially benefitted from this rule only two months ago means that they, unfortunately, have little cause to complain when it is used against them.
Instead, supporters can rightly rail against some non-existent defending from their back line which allowed first Hinshelwood and then Welbeck to easily get to the ball.
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