9 pundits share their views on the controversial showdown between West Ham and Arsenal
Much has been said about the VAR controversy at the end of the West Ham v Arsenal match (Image: Marc Atkins/Getty Images)
One of the most controversial decisions of the Premier League season has divided pundits after Arsenal brought in VAR relief against West Ham. The Gunners are on track to win their first top-flight title since 2004 thanks to this game, which will be talked about as the biggest call of the season, while the Hammers’ hopes of staying in the league are now gone.
Leandro Trossard’s late goal gave the Gunners a vital three points to keep their Premier League title hopes alive. However, just as Nuno Espirito Santo’s team looked set to pick up a point against the league leaders, Callum Wilson’s equalizer in stoppage time briefly turned things around.
It came after Wilson’s goal was disallowed due to a controversial foul on David Raya, but after the referee waited five minutes to make a decision. The result left Mikel Arteta’s side five points clear of Manchester City, with some of football’s top pundits offering their own opinions on a moment that could have sealed both the title and the relegation battle.
Wayne Rooney – correct call
“This is a clear foul,” Wayne Rooney said on the latest episode of the BBC show. “It’s controversial so of course a lot of people will say it should have been upheld and probably all the players, staff and fans will say it should have been upheld.
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“Then all the Tottenham fans, players and staff will say this shouldn’t have happened, and of course Arsenal fans and others. But this is a clear foul.”
“I think you can clearly see the arm going across his face and it’s affecting his ability (to go to the ball). So I think it’s the right decision. It’s the only time I actually think VAR did a really good job in such an important game.”
read more: Former Premier League official calls for rule change after Arsenal’s VAR massacreread more: West Ham to publicly complain over Arsenal controversy after late goal disallowed by VAR
Gary Neville – the right decision
“There’s a lot of attention on Darren England,” Gary Neville said on his podcast following Sunday’s result. “At first I didn’t know. Was it over the line? That’s what I thought, but it looked like it was over the line and as it turned out Declan Rice was quite far behind the line.
“But then there was a VAR check for an obvious foul on the goalkeeper, and I think that was the biggest moment in VAR history in the Premier League. There are a lot of people who aren’t fans of VAR, and rightfully so, but if that had happened Arsenal could have been champions and it could have been the right call that wasn’t right.”
“I was wondering if Darren England had the courage to turn it over, if he had the guts to turn it over and what he was going to do in this moment. I have to say we had the luxury and we had the home fans and the stadium. I wish all the Am fans had the luxury of hearing that, because to be fair, he walked through it, he walked through it, he talked to the referee, he talked to his colleague who was sitting next to him, he went through it perfectly.”
Gary Neville referee Darren England felt he made the right decision (Image: Sky Sports)
“He was checking everything around him. There was a little foul by Rice in the back, I think it was after the foul on Raya, but the fact that Pablo just had his arm there and wasn’t looking at the ball. He wasn’t trying to play the ball, he was just thinking about interfering with the goalie.”
“I think if it was a match where it was just going up as a move, he probably could have gotten away with it, but that long sustained arm across Raya had to be called after that.
“Darren England made the right decision and Arsenal breathed the biggest sigh of relief. Perhaps the fans have been breathing for a long time.”
Peter Schmeichel – Wrong Call
“Today’s decision is very wrong on many levels,” former Manchester City goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel said during an interview with Viaplay. “What really pisses me off is that if it was a free-kick, Arsenal would never be at the top of the league.
“That’s how they’ve scored so many goals, blocking people, holding people, doing everything they can to get us to this point…VAR takes five minutes.
Peter Schmeichel was furious (Image: Icon Sport via Getty Images)
“Darren England, the VAR officer,[it takes]five minutes. He starts the replay over and over again. That in itself casts great doubt on that call. It couldn’t have been a free-kick, it couldn’t have been.”
“I think it’s very wrong. I don’t understand why it’s suddenly a free kick, because that hasn’t happened to any team all season. All of this is really crazy and today’s decision is very wrong on many levels.”
Ian Wright – the right decision
Sky Sports’ Ian Wright added: “We saw it now, he’s blocking with his arms crossed. It was like a blessing!”
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Jamie Redknapp – the right decision
“It was a courageous VAR decision, but it was the right one.”
Shay Given – On the Fence
Speaking on Match of the Day, Given said: “What’s frustrating is that we’ve seen a lot of times this season at Arsenal where goalkeepers and defenders have been blocked and goals have been scored.Everyone has complained about the consistency of refereeing decisions.”
“Why were some goals conceded and this one not? There’s so much at stake at the bottom and the top of the league.
Former Newcastle and Manchester City goalkeeper Shay Given felt Arsenal got away with a soft call (Image: BBC Sport)
“The other thing is that before the foul on Raya, Gabriel holds, (Martin) Odegaard holds, (Leandro) Trossard holds. When does the referee decide that this is the foul he wants to take and not the previous foul?”
Rob Greene – the right decision
He told BBC Radio 5 Live: “It’s a foul. It’s like watching two players foul the goalkeeper.” “There have been so many things like this this season that have been talked about and there have been contradictions, so it’s huge that this is happening now.
“I feel like VAR, West Ham, Arsenal, especially set-pieces, have been a theme this season. Fouls on isolation. There were five or six fouls going on at the same time, and then the ball fell. You would think there would be consistency, but that wasn’t the case.”
Roy Keane – the right decision
Roy Keane says West Ham’s side are to blame for poor discipline in the box (Image: Sky Sports Premier League)
“West Ham’s indiscipline cost them. When you go up, be careful not to give a foul, because it will be checked by VAR.”
Danny Murphy – The Right Decision
Murphy, who appeared with Given on MOTD, said: “The controversy and complaints about West Ham not being awarded a goal is because it’s Arsenal. They can’t be held responsible for past decisions.”
“The VAR guys have to say what they saw and this is a clear foul. They can’t distort it just because it’s Arsenal.”
