Arsenal have taken a huge step towards a first Premier League title since 2004 with a 1-0 victory against West Ham United. The three points didn't come without controversy, however, with a late Callum Wilson equaliser ruled out by VAR.
After a five-minute check, officials came to the conclusion that Hammers forward Pablo had fouled David Raya in the lead-up to the goal. The Spanish striker was judged to have impeded the Arsenal 'keeper in his attempt to catch the ball.
Jarrod Bowen Related
Jarrod Bowen Praised For His Interview Immediately After West Ham vs Arsenal Controversy
West Ham's Jarrod Bowen had every right to be furious, but what he said after the final whistle was hard to disagree with.
A lot of people have agreed that the VAR officials and referee on the day eventually got to the right decision, while Peter Schmeichel was vocal for those in the opposite camp. Broadcaster Richard Keys has now given an extremely strong take and has even suggested rule changes.
Richard Keys' Rant on VAR After West Ham vs Arsenal
Arsenal players vs West Ham
Keys wrote a lengthy blog post on Monday afternoon, just 24 hours after the London Stadium drama. He first asked readers: "Hands up if what happened at West Ham yesterday came as a surprise to you. No. I didn’t think so. It’s been coming and our mediocre officials - no, inadequate officials - are to blame."
He then nailed his colours to the mast and backed Man Utd legend, Schmeichel. Keys believes that it was not a 'clear and obvious error' and continued:
"Let’s take this one step at a time. I agree with 100 per cent Peter Schmeichel. I saw him on Instagram. The call was wrong on so many levels.
"Was it a foul? Yes, it probably was, but of course Chris Kavanagh wasn’t going to see it. He’s one of our worst and has had a season littered with errors."
"Although I agree it probably (there’s that word again) was a foul, but if it was so damned obvious, why did they take nearly five minutes to sort it out? What a shambles," he added.
The frustration isn't necessarily with the decision on Sunday afternoon in isolation. Pundits and fans have taken issue with the inconsistency in such calls, and the length of time taken to reach a decision.
Keys Wants Major VAR Change
Richard Keys at the Formula 1 World Championship
Not stopping there, the 69-year-old demanded a huge change to the way VAR works. After pointing out another contentious incident during Sunderland vs Manchester United, the ex-Sky Sports presenter claimed that Premier League referees aren't good enough.
Taking aim at PGMOL chief Howard Webb in the process, he claimed that viewers should be allowed to hear the conversation between the VAR officials and referees to give a clearer indication of what's going on:
"A couple of other things - our guys simply aren’t good enough. And I’ll say again - we’ve got to be able to listen to those conversations at the monitor. Where is Howard Webb right now? MIA for sure."
"Someone has got to get to grips with the appalling standards of refeeeing in the PL. Perhaps Richard Masters could earn some of that £1m bonus and take an interest?"
Keys doesn't quite agree with former top-flight official Darren Cann, who suggested a radical rule change which would see attackers banned from the six-yard box from set-pieces. But he still wants to see change.