Arsenal Beat West Ham 1-0 After VAR Overturns Callum Wilson Equaliser

Arsenal beat West Ham 1-0 after Leandro Trossard scored in the 83rd minute, but the match at the London Stadium was decided by a stoppage-time VAR overturn of West Ham’s equaliser.

“The most consequential decision in the history of the video assistant referee in the Premier League was played out over four minutes 11 seconds of nerve-shredding drama inside London Stadium”

BBC

Callum Wilson struck in the 95th minute after West Ham sent their goalkeeper, Mads Hermansen, forward for an all-or-nothing corner, yet referee Chris Kavanagh disallowed the goal after VAR official Darren England sent him to the replay monitor.

BBC

The Guardian described the moment as Arsenal “led 1-0 through Leandro Trossard’s 83rd-minute goal,” before the decision turned on Kavanagh’s interpretation of the foul on David Raya.

Sky Sports reported that after 17 replays and four minutes and 17 seconds of stoppage, Kavanagh ruled that Pablo had fouled Raya, with the goal chalked off and Arsenal able to see the game out.

Former goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel questioned the decision and fumed on Viaplay, saying: “It’s just so wrong… the decision today, it’s just so wrong on so many levels.”

Gary Neville, speaking on Sky Sports commentary, called the overturn “the biggest moment in VAR history” as he framed it as a potentially title-deciding call for Arsenal.

Daily Mail

NBC Sports quoted Mikel Arteta saying the VAR decision “could've gone either way,” while also insisting that “when you see the picture there is clearly no question it was a foul.”

ESPN’s panel discussion included a referee-turned analyst, Andy Davies, who argued the check was “a good use of VAR in a highly pressurized moment” and that VAR England identified Pablo’s arm position as impeding Raya’s ability to move and catch the ball.

The result left Arsenal moving closer to the Premier League title, with talkSPORT saying the win put them five points clear of Manchester City with just two matches remaining.

“Former Man United and Man City goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel was left fuming after West Ham's late equaliser against Arsenal was disallowed on Sunday”

Daily Mail

NDTV Profit put Arsenal on 79 points from 36 matches after the London Stadium win, while Manchester City remained on 74 with a game in hand, and it said Arsenal’s final two fixtures were against already-relegated Burnley and Crystal Palace.

At the other end of the table, talkSPORT reported West Ham remained in the relegation zone and a point adrift of Tottenham Hotspur with just two matches remaining, while ESPN’s match context described the stakes as affecting both title and relegation places.

Sky Sports added that West Ham’s 18th loss of the campaign ensured the safety of both Nottingham Forest and Leeds, leaving their only hope of avoiding the drop resting on Tottenham taking their place in the relegation zone.