The significance of this decision cannot be overstated. Neville was emphatic: "Arsenal's first title in 22 years could hinge on this. This is one of those moments when Arsenal might well believe their name is already on the trophy." Indeed, the Gunners now have their fate firmly in their own hands. Two wins and the trophy is theirs.
For West Ham, though, the result is a hammer blow in their relegation fight. Their 18th loss of the campaign means Nottingham Forest and Leeds United are safe. The Hammers' only hope now is to leapfrog Tottenham, who hold a one-point advantage and still have a game in hand. On Monday evening, they face Leeds.
Expert Roy Keane had little sympathy for the losers. "The only thing you say is: VAR will check everything, so don't put your hands on the goalkeeper! And definitely don't do it for three or four seconds," railed the Irishman. His conclusion: "That was really stupid of West Ham. You shouldn't commit such an obvious foul, because it will be reviewed."