Referees chief backs VAR decision to disallow West Ham equaliser
The referees body (PGMOL) officially endorsed the decision to disallow Callum Wilson's late equalizer for a foul on Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya during Sunday's match.
The incident occurred deep in added time during a corner, where a VAR check led referee Chris Kavanagh to review the monitor and identify a foul by Pablo on the keeper. Arsenal secured a crucial 1-0 victory as a result of the decision, moving five points clear at the top of the Premier League table ahead of Manchester City.
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Howard Webb stated that Raya was impeded by an opponent grabbing or holding his arms, preventing him from catching or punching the ball as he normally would.
Pundits have described the ruling as the biggest VAR call in the Premier League since the introduction of the technology in 2019 due to its significance.
The PGMOL chief noted that officials have been briefed all season to penalize instances where goalkeepers are specifically impeded from performing their duties.
The defeat leaves West Ham United third from bottom, remaining two points behind 17th-placed Tottenham Hotspur with only two matches left in the season. Webb acknowledged an increase in penalty area physicality and set-piece coaching tactics, emphasizing that officials must remain vigilant against impactful fouls.
