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

World Cup 2026 knockout rounds predictor! Have your say and plot England's route to the final

World Cup 2026 knockout rounds predictor! Have your say and plot England's route to the final

England are through to the knockout rounds of the World Cup - and you can predict how the rest of the tournament will play out! Thomas Tuchel's side f...

World Cup 2026: Argentina 3-2 Cape Verde - Reigning champions avoid biggest upset in tournament history after extra-time winner

World Cup 2026: Argentina 3-2 Cape Verde - Reigning champions avoid biggest upset in tournament history after extra-time winner

Argentina avoided the biggest upset in World Cup history after Diney Borges' own-goal in extra-time rescued a 3-2 win over Cape Verde to book their pl...

World Cup 2026: Australia 1-1 Egypt (2-4 on penalties) - Shoot-out drama sends Mohamed Salah and co into last 16

World Cup 2026: Australia 1-1 Egypt (2-4 on penalties) - Shoot-out drama sends Mohamed Salah and co into last 16

Egypt are into the last 16 of the World Cup after beating Australia in a dramatic penalty shoot-out in Dallas.The game itself ended 1-1 after extra ti...

World Cup 2026: Switzerland 2-0 Algeria - Goals from Breel Embolo and Dan Ndoye secure first World Cup knockout win in 88 years

World Cup 2026: Switzerland 2-0 Algeria - Goals from Breel Embolo and Dan Ndoye secure first World Cup knockout win in 88 years

Switzerland finally ended their World Cup knockout hoodoo by beating Algeria 2-0 to set up a last-16 meeting with either Colombia or Ghana.The Swiss,...

World Cup 2026: Portugal 2-1 Croatia - Cristiano Ronaldo's dreams survive after late VAR drama forces Luka Modric farewell

World Cup 2026: Portugal 2-1 Croatia - Cristiano Ronaldo's dreams survive after late VAR drama forces Luka Modric farewell

Cristiano Ronaldo's World Cup dreams were kept alive in controversial fashion as he helped Portugal fight back from a goal down to beat Croatia 2-1 an...

Julian Nagelsmann resigns as Germany head coach after shock World Cup exit with Jurgen Klopp 'ready' to take over

Julian Nagelsmann resigns as Germany head coach after shock World Cup exit with Jurgen Klopp 'ready' to take over

Jurgen Klopp appears primed to become Germany's new head coach following the departure of Julian Nagelsmann.Nagelsmann stepped down from the role afte...