Mikel Arteta admitted Arsenal’s tense 1-0 victory over West Ham United could easily have swung either way after a controversial VAR call ruled out a stoppage-time equaliser at the London Stadium.
A difficult afternoon for Arsenal was finally settled in the 83rd minute when Leandro Trossard scored through a crowded penalty area after combining with Declan Rice and Martin Ødegaard. The goal secured a crucial three points in the Premier League title race.
However, the match’s biggest talking point came deep into stoppage time when West Ham thought they had rescued a draw, only for VAR to intervene and disallow the goal for a foul on Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya.
Reflecting on the decision, Arteta praised the officials for reviewing the incident, while acknowledging the call was finely balanced. He said the VAR team showed courage in taking another look at the play and insisted the replay clearly showed a foul, although he admitted the decision “could’ve gone either way.”
The Arsenal boss also described the occasion as emotional, marking his 500th match as either a player or manager with the club. He pointed to West Ham’s fight for survival and Arsenal’s pursuit of the title as reasons behind the tense nature of the contest.
The result moved Arsenal five points clear of Manchester City, although City still have a game in hand with two league fixtures remaining for the Gunners.
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