'Good call' - Veteran Premier League ref explains double offence caused Leeds United goal to be disallowed

The Frenchman thought he had put Leeds further in front following Kal Naismith’s equaliser on the stroke of half-time and Joel Piroe’s fifth goal in eight games, but fell to his knees as the assistant referee’s flag was raised on the far side of the pitch.

Dan James’ out-swinging corner was delivered into the penalty area during the 72nd minute, resulting in an attempt by Sam Byram as the ball fell to the defender. Before Georginio was able to get back onside, Bristol City’s players had made attempts to vacate their penalty area, leaving the Leeds attacker in an offside position as he firstly affected the goalkeeper’s ability to save the shot, and secondly prodded home, having started in an offside position.

Speaking to Sky Sports, ex-Premier League referee Chris Foy explains there were two separate infractions by the 21-year-old which led to an offside call being made.

"When the ball is volleyed towards goal by Sam Byram, the eventual goal scorer, Georginio is stood just beyond the second-last opponent - so in an offside position.

"Although he doesn't touch Byram's initial shot, he makes a clear attempt to play the ball, and clearly impacts the ability of Bristol City's goalkeeper to play the ball, who delays his save and spills Byram's effort, before Georginio taps the loose ball into the net.”

IFAB’s Laws of the Game 2023/24 state: “A player is in an offside position if: any part of the head, body or feet is in the opponents’ half (excluding the halfway line) and any part of the head, body or feet is nearer to the opponents’ goal line than both the ball and the second-last opponent.”

In this specific case, Byram’s shot was saved by Robins ‘keeper Max O’Leary but due to Georginio being in O’Leary’s line of sight, and overt movement towards the ball from an offside position before converting the tap-in, Foy describes Stroud and his officiating team’s decision as a ‘good call’.

"There are two offside offences here, the first is Georginio's initial action that clearly impacts the Bristol City goalkeeper's attempt to make the save, and the second is that following a save he gains an advantage for the resultant tap-in by initially being in an offside position.

"This is a good call by the officials.”