Football Dec 07, 2025

Chelsea 1-1 Arsenal: Should Trevoh Chalobah's opening goal have been disallowed due to Enzo Fernandez being in an offside position?

👤
By Admin
Sports Journalist
Chelsea 1-1 Arsenal: Should Trevoh Chalobah's opening goal have been disallowed due to Enzo Fernandez being in an offside position?

Chelsea's draw with Arsenal was filled with refereeing controversies - but should the Blues' opening goal have been disallowed due to another subjective offside in the Premier League?

In the second half, Trevoh Chalobah put 10-man Chelsea into the lead by flicking on Reece James' corner - but did Enzo Fernandez play a major role in the ball going in - from an offside position?

Chelsea's No 8 was ahead of the play when Chalobah flicks the ball on and while Fernandez does not touch the ball, he appears to impact Cristhian Mosquera's ability to clear the ball off the line.

Under the rules of IFAB (International Football Association Board), the game's lawmakers, a player can be offside if they:

Fernandez's actions bring into question all three of these criteria. SportNews News have approached the PGMOL for comment.

While Mosquera's right hand is technically level with Fernandez, the Laws of the Game state "The hands and arms of all players, including the goalkeepers, are not considered" in offsides, as you cannot gain an advantage by using your hands in football.

Instead, offsides are judged on the sleeve line. And Fernandez appears to be ahead of Mosquera's sleeve.

This incident follows a number of subjective offside calls in the Premier League. Virgil van Dijk's goal for Liverpool at Man City was ruled out because Andy Robertson was judged to have affected play from an offside position, without touching the ball.

Then two weeks later, VAR then allowed a Murillo goal for Nottingham Forest at Liverpool even though Dan Ndoye was stood in an offside position. That goal was allowed as Ndoye was adjudged not to be in the eyeline of Alisson.

So have the officials missed a big call, which could affect this season's title race?

Tags:

football news id:13477896

Share this article

Related Posts

Rangers Q&A on £16m share issue, transfer plans, Old Firm fan clash, future Celtic Park ticket allocations, VAR referee summit and more

Rangers Q&A on £16m share issue, transfer plans, Old Firm fan clash, future Celtic Park ticket allocations, VAR referee summit and more

Rangers chairman Andrew Cavenagh has announced there will be a £16m cash injection to support summer transfers and other work around the club.The fund...

Scotland Women: Eilidh Adams recalled for upcoming World Cup qualifying double-header against Belgium

Scotland Women: Eilidh Adams recalled for upcoming World Cup qualifying double-header against Belgium

Eilidh Adams has been recalled to the Scotland squad for next month's Women's World Cup qualifying double-header against Belgium.The Hibernian forward...

Middlesbrough striker Tommy Conway on achieving Scotland World Cup dream - 'I had to be in this camp'

Middlesbrough striker Tommy Conway on achieving Scotland World Cup dream - 'I had to be in this camp'

Tommy Conway is determined to make the most of his Scotland recall and secure a place in Steve Clarke's World Cup squad. The 23-year-old Middlesbrough...

Man Utd 2-3 Bayern Munich: Pernille Harder's double gives German side advantage in Women's Champions League quarter-final first leg

Man Utd 2-3 Bayern Munich: Pernille Harder's double gives German side advantage in Women's Champions League quarter-final first leg

Pernille Harder scored twice as Bayern Munich secured a 3-2 first-leg advantage over Manchester United in the quarter-final of their Women's Champions...

Harry Maguire: England defender confirms Old Trafford contract talks and opens up about Ruben Amorim tenure

Harry Maguire: England defender confirms Old Trafford contract talks and opens up about Ruben Amorim tenure

Harry Maguire has confirmed talks have taken place with Manchester United over a new deal and adds that whether he stays or leaves Old Trafford will b...

England: Thomas Tuchel on Ben White's recall to the international team and why Trent Alexander-Arnold has been overlooked again

England: Thomas Tuchel on Ben White's recall to the international team and why Trent Alexander-Arnold has been overlooked again

Thomas Tuchel says Ben White must "clear the air" with his England team-mates as he defended calling up the Arsenal defender after he ended his self-i...