It was the moment that might have decided both the Premier League title race and the relegation fight, all at the same time. Not everyone is in agreement, either.
West Ham thought they’d snatched a crucial point deep into stoppage time against Arsenal at the London Stadium, only for VAR to intervene and rule out Callum Wilson's strike after a check that lasted over five minutes. Referee Chris Kavanagh confirmed that Hammers substitute Pablo had fouled David Raya by putting an arm across the Arsenal goalkeeper's face in the build-up.
David Raya Related
What David Raya Told Leandro Trossard About West Ham’s Disallowed Goal vs Arsenal
West Ham United had a late goal ruled out against Arsenal for a foul on David Raya, who spoke to Leandro Trossard during the VAR review.
The decision handed Arsenal a crucial 1-0 win, restoring their five-point lead over Manchester City at the top of the table, and taking West Ham’s survival chances out of their own hands. Not everyone, however, is convinced justice was done.
Mikel Arteta was certainly convinced. The Spaniard was effusive in his praise for the officials after the match: "Today I have to congratulate them [the officials]. You need a lot of courage and bravery to stand out and give the opportunity to the referee to have a look at the action," he said.
"When you see the picture, there is no question that it is a clear foul. They were very brave. The action deserved that. In my opinion, it is very clear. They are the rules and we ask for consistency."
Jamie Redknapp, Ian Wright and Roy Keane Were All in Agreement
Roy Keane and Ian Wright
Sky Sports pundits, Jamie Redknapp, Ian Wright and Roy Keane were united in their view that the correct call had been made.
Redknapp spoke of the chaos and relief of the moment, likening the scenes in the penalty area to the Super Bowl. Wright, a well-documented Arsenal advocate, admitted the moment briefly convinced him Arsenal had blown their title challenge, before replays confirmed Pablo's arm was clearly planted across Raya's face.
Keane, characteristically, was less interested in debating the decision than in criticising Pablo's lack of discipline, arguing that in the modern game, you simply cannot put your hands on a goalkeeper and expect VAR to look the other way.
Peter Schmeichel's Fury at Arsenal’s VAR Relief
Peter Schmeichel
Not everyone saw it that way. Speaking on Viaplay's post-match coverage, Manchester United legend Peter Schmeichel delivered a scathing verdict that will resonate with West Ham supporters and many others.
"What really makes me angry is that Arsenal would never be top of the league if that’s a free-kick.
"That’s how they’ve scored so many goals, by blocking people, holding people, doing all kinds of things. And then we get to this point, it takes VAR five minutes, Darren England the VAR, it takes five minutes. He starts it over again and starts it over again and again… that in itself puts so much doubt into that decision that it cannot be a free-kick. I think it’s so wrong. I just don’t understand why all of a sudden that’s a free-kick, because it’s not been for any teams all the way throughout the season. All this, it’s just crazy. And that decision today, it’s just so wrong on so many levels.”
Watch the Dane’s post-match rant below:
It’s a view that will split the room, and understandably so. The contact was there, Pablo's arm was clearly across the goalkeeper's face, and Keane's point about discipline is a fair one. But Schmeichel's broader argument isn’t without some standing either.
When a VAR check takes five minutes and has to be restarted multiple times, it doesn’t exactly scream certainty. What is certain is that moments like this are exactly why VAR decisions are a weekly talking point among football fans, and with the title race and the relegation battle both hanging by a thread, this particular decision will be talked about for a long time yet.