No more time for grey areas : Picture by @YTJourno
**Arsenal (0) 1** Trossard 83
Arsenal are just two wins away from the title. But how they managed to escape the London Stadium with all three points will haunt the beaten Hammers - whose hopes of beating the drop now hang by a thread.
West Ham defended superbly and made a breakthrough seem almost impossible for the Gunners as the game wore on - with the damaging consequences of a draw all too obvious for the title-hunters given Man City's proximity.
There looked no way for Arsenal to win it but then Martin Odegaard, on as a sub, managed to find some space with a couple of deft touches and teed up Leandro Trossard for a shot that found the net via the boot of Tomas Soucek.
The away end was in raptures but there was to be one final moment of dread for them deep into injury time.
Callum Wilson, who has made a habit of making a difference off the bench - thumped in a shot over the line after a goalmouth melee. Ref Chris Kavanagh signalled the ball had crossed the line despite bouncing back into play off a body.
The outpouring of ecstasy among home fans was quite something.
But it's the hope that kills you and when VAR noticed Pablo's arm across David Raya's neck as the keeper spilled a cross in the build-up to Wilson's shot, there was a sinking feeling around the ground, while the away end held its breath.
When the 'no goal' verdict was announced, the very different fate of these two sides was sealed.
It might just be the most important VAR intervention there has ever been - but in truth, it looked like the correct call.
A 10th 1-0 to the Arsenal for the season. And another that feels unbelievably precious.
The Hammers did not play like a team facing relegation. Far from it. But they did not start that well and were lucky in the opening moments when Trossard sent a close range header against a post - his initial effort at a corner being clawed away from the goalline by Mads Hermansen.
Riccardo Calafiori had also already gone close after racing onto an astute pass in from the left by the Belgian - former Gunner Dinos Mavropanos making an important block.
Then, some clever exchanging of passes outside the box ended with Calafiori rifling just over from the edge of the box - Ebere Eze heavily involved in the build-up.
More great work from Mavropanos also frustrated Arsenal after he smothered Calafiori's glancing header following a Declan Rice free-kick that was drifting dangerously into the six-yard area.
The direction of travel was clear but the outcome far from a given, with the scoreline still 0-0 and the dynamics changed when Ben White had to go off injured after less than half an hour. Martin Zubimendi came on with Rice detailed to right-back duties, but the change deprived Arsenal of that much-needed control in midfield.
The Hammers were breaking away at speed and Crysencio Summerville charged at goal after turning Myles Lewis-Skelly in midfield. His full-tilt run ended with an off balance shot that was wide.
In another attack, Aaron Wan-Bissaka whipped in a lovely cross for Taty Castellanos to send in a diving header that David Raya had to stretch to turn aside for a corner.
With Arsenal seemingly becalmed when it came to creating chances, the Hammers grew in belief that they could pinch it. They very nearly did when Matheus Fernandes got goalside of Gabriel after Pablo had stabbed a ball into his path and had only David Raya to beat, but the Gunners keeper saved superbly.
A top player for the top occasion.
West Ham had gone into this game convinced a huge omen was pointing towards an unexpected day of glory.
Exactly 46 years ago to the day, the Irons triumphed against all the odds as a second division side at Wembley against the Gunners. Trevor Brooking, the goalscorer on that famous day, was naturally the star man on the pitch before the game.
Another May 10 win to emulate their most famous one of all against the north Londoners never seemed out of the question and it only needed a couple of hairline decisions and moments to go their way for that to happen. In the end, though, it was Arsenal who found a way.
It means they can seal the title with wins over Burnley at home and Palace away ahead of the Champions League final against PSG, whatever Man City manage in their final fixtures.
The Hammers, with only two to play - at Newcastle and at home to Leeds - must hope that Spurs slip up in their remaining three games. It seems unlikely now.
**Hammers:** (3-4-2-1) Hermansen - Disasi (Wilson 85), Todibo, Mavropanos - Wan-Bissaka, Soucek, Mateus Fernandes, Diouf - Bowen, Summerville - Castellanos (Pablo 67)
**Gunners:** (4-3-3) Raya - White (Zubimendi 28) (Havertz 67), Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori (Mosquera h/t) - Eze (Odegaard 67), Rice, Lewis-Skelly - Saka (Madueke 80), Gyokeres, Trossard