Eberechi Eze’s Goal Validated Against Tottenham: Here’s Why

Eberechi Eze’s goal against Tottenham during the recent North London derby has sparked renewed discussions regarding the offside rule in the Premier League. The Arsenal forward found the net, extending Arsenal’s lead to two goals before halftime at the Emirates Stadium.

Eze’s Controversial Goal and VAR Decision

Spurs goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario claimed he was obstructed from seeing the ball due to offside Arsenal players in his line of vision. Martin Zubimendi and Leandro Trossard were positioned offside while Eze delivered his shot, creating confusion around the goal’s legitimacy.

VAR conducted a review of the situation. A statement from the Premier League Match Centre clarified that the referee’s decision to award the goal was upheld. It was concluded that no Arsenal players interfered with Vicario’s line of sight and had not made any movements to disrupt the play while positioned offside.

Comparison with Recent Offside Calls

This controversy draws parallels to a recent incident involving Virgil van Dijk’s disallowed goal against Manchester City. Van Dijk’s equalizer was ruled out as Andy Robertson was seen making an “obvious action directly in front of the goalkeeper” while in an offside position.

Reactions to Eze’s Goal

Replays highlighted that Zubimendi and Trossard indeed blocked Vicario’s view during Eze’s attempt. They were positioned behind Tottenham defenders Micky van de Ven and Kevin Danso. On Sky Sports, former Tottenham striker Les Ferdinand expressed his concerns regarding Tottenham’s defensive strategy.

• Ferdinand stated, “I don’t understand how this [Arsenal players] doesn’t affect the goalkeeper’s sight.”
• He emphasized his confusion over the decision to allow Eze’s goal to stand.

Following his first goal, Eze quickly scored again right after halftime, pushing Arsenal’s lead to 3-0 and positioning them for a significant advantage in the Premier League title race.