Peter Schmeichel claimed that the VAR decision in Arsenal's win at West Ham was "so wrong" - prompting a passionate response from former Gunner Martin Keown
Martin Keown took aim at Peter Schmeichel after his comments
Martin Keown took aim at Peter Schmeichel after his comments(Image: Charlotte Wilson/Offside/Offside via Getty Images)
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Martin Keown fired back at Peter Schmeichel's criticism of Arsenal's favourable VAR call as he claimed the former Manchester United goalkeeper is "angry because it’s Arsenal".
The Gunners went from agony to ecstasy on Sunday afternoon when West Ham's stoppage time equaliser was ruled out after a lengthy VAR check. Callum Wilson thought he'd fired home a strike that would've re-opened the door for Manchester City in the Premier League title race.
But their celebrations were cut short when VAR intervened and, after a near five minute check, the goal at the London Stadium was ruled out.
David Raya was deemed to have been fouled by Pablo, who was grappling with the Arsenal goalkeeper. There were incidents in the box, but the foul on the goalkeeper came first and was the game's defining moment.
Schmeichel said it was "so wrong on so many levels" but Keown has bit back. He said on talkSport: "He’s angry because it’s Arsenal. Did he not play for Manchester City? Did he not play for Manchester United? The current rivals and the former rivals of Arsenal."
The ex-Arsenal man went on to explain: "He’s holding his arm! I’d like to think I’m a fair man, this is a just decision. What’s remarkable is that it’s a goalkeeper affected by this… if it had happened to him [Schmeichel] then he’d have been screaming from the rooftops that that’s a foul. If he [Schmeichel] is still playing and he gets fouled to that degree… come on, it’s ridiculous."
Schmeichel's gripe centred around some of the tactics employed by Arsenal this season. The Gunners have thrived from set pieces more than any other team, scoring numerous goals. A lot of those saw them put a number of players around the goalkeeper, often jockeying for position.
VAR deemed that Pablo fouled David Raya
VAR deemed that Pablo fouled David Raya(Image: (Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images))
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"What really makes me angry is that Arsenal would never be top of the league if that’s a free-kick," said the former goalkeeper. "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."
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