Florian Wirtz denied first Liverpool goal by dubious own goal call

Florian Wirtz
December 2025

Liverpool needed a stroke of luck to avoid another damaging league result, drawing level when Florian Wirtz’s mis-hit shot deflected heavily off Nordi Mukiele and beat Robin Roefs, only for the Premier League’s goal accreditation panel to credit it as a Sunderland own goal. After Virgil van Dijk’s error and deflected concession left Liverpool chasing the game, Curtis Jones sparked a rare attacking surge and Wirtz slalomed through the box, but replays showed his effort was heading well wide, inviting more mockery of his output despite him being one of Liverpool’s few bright performers in a flat display.