West Ham United are considering a formal complaint to
match officials after a controversial VAR decision ruled out a dramatic
stoppage-time equaliser against Arsenal in Sunday’s Premier League clash at the
London Stadium.
The relegation-threatened Hammers believed they had
secured a vital point when Callum Wilson bundled the ball into the net deep
into added time after Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya failed to hold onto a
cross.
However, referee Chris Kavanagh disallowed the goal
following a lengthy VAR review. After consulting the pitchside monitor, he
ruled that West Ham defender Pablo had fouled Raya during the build-up.
The decision proved decisive as Leandro Trossard’s
82nd-minute strike handed Arsenal a crucial 1-0 victory. The result moved the
league leaders five points clear at the top of the table, while West Ham
remained stuck in the relegation zone with only two matches left in the season.
West Ham players and officials reacted angrily after
the final whistle, arguing that similar incidents throughout the campaign have
often gone unpunished.
Goalkeeper Mads Hermansen questioned the consistency
of officiating decisions involving contact on goalkeepers during set-pieces.
“If you ask any goalkeeper in the league if he’s been
illegally blocked, pulled, or pushed during corners this season, I think every
goalkeeper would say yes,” Hermansen said.
The Danish international admitted Raya had been
impeded but insisted similar physical challenges have frequently been ignored
by officials throughout the season.
“You can definitely give the foul on the goalkeeper,”
he explained. “But considering what has been allowed all season — with shirt
pulling, blocking, and pushing — I don’t understand why this particular one was
punished.”
Hermansen also revealed he spoke with Raya after the
match, saying both goalkeepers shared similar frustrations about how such
incidents have been handled across the campaign.
The controversial decision has added even more
pressure on West Ham as they battle to avoid relegation in the closing stages
of the season.
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