Arsenal are on the verge of securing the Premier League title after a hard-fought and controversial 1-0 victory over West Ham at the London Stadium. Leandro Trossard fired home from Martin Ødegaard’s pass late in the match to give the visitors a crucial lead. However, the game’s decisive moment came in added time when Callum Wilson thought he had equalized for West Ham, only for a lengthy VAR review to rule that Pablo had fouled Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya before the goal. Raya also produced a stunning late save to deny Mateus Fernandes, who had burst through one-on-one.
The win puts Arsenal in a commanding position at the top of the table. According to Opta’s supercomputer, Arsenal now have an 87.2 percent probability of lifting the title. With two games remaining, two more wins would guarantee the championship. Arsenal host already-relegated Burnley on May 19 before traveling to Crystal Palace on the final day. Meanwhile, Manchester City, who are chasing closely, face Crystal Palace, Bournemouth, and Aston Villa in their remaining league fixtures, sandwiched around the FA Cup final against Chelsea.
West Ham manager Nuno Espirito Santo expressed his frustration with the VAR decision after the match. “We’re all upset. I didn’t watch the replay not to get more upset. There’s the referee, VAR … circumstances in the past have been judged differently,” he told Sky Sports. “Overall, a very good performance. We didn’t come away with a result we wanted and needed. Except for set-piece situations, we didn’t allow too many Arsenal chances. The stadium was amazing. We cannot thank the fans enough.”
The controversy has once again sparked debate about the impact of VAR on the pace and flow of the game, with many questioning whether football has become too reliant on freeze-frame decisions.
