West Ham-Arsenal referee and VAR praised for ‘really good teamwork’ after disallowed goal controversy

TL;DR

A VAR decision disallowed a late equaliser for West Ham against Arsenal, which was praised as well-handled by officials. Former referee Chris Foy stated the decision was correct despite the controversy it sparked.

Key points

VAR disallowed a late equaliser for West Ham
Chris Foy praised the handling of the decision
The incident involved a foul on Arsenal's goalkeeper
The decision sparked widespread debate
Considered one of the most pivotal VAR calls in Premier League history

Mentioned in this story

Chris FoyChris KavanaghDarren EnglandDavid Raya

West HamArsenalPremier League

A highly contentious VAR decision that denied West Ham a late equaliser against Arsenal was "perfectly handled" by match officials, according to former top-flight referee Chris Foy.

The incident, which saw a Callum Wilson goal disallowed, has sparked widespread debate and is being described as one of the most pivotal VAR calls in Premier League history.

Referee Chris Kavanagh initially allowed Wilson’s injury-time strike to stand during Sunday’s match, but was advised by VAR Darren England to review the incident. Following the review, officials concluded that Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya had been fouled by West Ham's Pablo Felipe as he attempted to collect a corner kick.

Despite the uproar, Foy firmly believes the correct outcome was reached.

"It has generated a lot of debate, a lot of discussion, a lot of noise, but they got the decision right," he told the Press Association.

Chris Foy has praised Sunday’s match officials (PA Wire)

He elaborated on the foul, stating: "Darren England and Chris Kavanagh worked perfectly together on this. Chris Kavanagh didn’t see the action of Pablo on Raya and, quite clearly, he has got his arm across (Raya’s) chest. He’s got no intention of challenging for the ball, but moreover, he has actually got hold of (Raya’s) arm and doesn’t let go."

Q&A

What was the controversial VAR decision in the West Ham vs Arsenal match?

The VAR decision disallowed a late equaliser by Callum Wilson for West Ham due to a foul on Arsenal's goalkeeper David Raya.

Who is Chris Foy and what did he say about the VAR decision?

Chris Foy is a former top-flight referee who stated that the VAR decision was perfectly handled and the correct outcome was reached.

Why is this VAR call considered pivotal in Premier League history?

The decision is seen as pivotal due to the significant debate it generated and its impact on the match outcome, highlighting the scrutiny of VAR in football.