Biggest VAR call ever?
The most consequential decision in the history of the video assistant referee in the Premier League was played out over four minutes 11 seconds of nerve-shredding drama inside London Stadium . That time span, which felt like an age, became the moment that has the capacity to alter the immediate course of history for Arsenal and West Ham United . Darren England had to pore over the most significant domestic VAR decision since its inception in 2019 before sending referee Chris Kavanagh to the screen.
VAR decisions have been important before - but none have been quite so heavy, with the consequences potentially giving Arsenal a decisive push towards their first Premier League title in 22 years, while at the same time sending West Ham towards the Championship. When Callum Wilson's shot crossed the line, West Ham fans exploded in delirium and then everyone held their breath before Arsenal's followers, packed into a corner of the stadium, reacted in similar fashion when the referee announced: "After review, West Ham number 19 committed a foul on the goalkeeper. " And with those few fateful words, Arsenal now hold a position of huge strength five points ahead of Manchester City - having played a game more - while West Ham look increasingly doomed, sitting a point behind Tottenham Hotspur , who play their game in hand at home to Leeds United on Monday.
West Ham and their fans melted into a mutinous fury that continued long after the final whistle, feeling they had been robbed of a vital point in their fight for survival, as Arsenal celebrated a victory of huge importance. Read analysis from Phil