- West Ham lose 1-0 to Arsenal in the Premier League
- The loss could leave the Hammers four points adrift if Tottenham Hotspur win tomorrow
- VAR ruled out a late equaliser for the hosts
VAR turned over a last minute equaliser as West Ham United lost 1-0 to Arsenal at the London Stadium. The Hammers pushed their opposition hard and whilst the Gunners led through Leandro Trossard, Callum Wilson would see a late equaliser overturned by Stockley Park to leave West Ham staring down the barrel.
The Irons pushed the champions-elect throughout the 90 minutes but could not stop Trossard from finding the net. Nuno Espirito Santo’s team thought they had found a well-earned point in stoppage time, as Wilson smashed the ball over the line only for VAR to decide Pablo Felipe had fouled David Raya, despite it looking as though both teams were grappling each other.
First-half
As expected, Arsenal began the day stronger of the two sides. Riccardo Calafiori winning a corner early on which Declan Rice delivered to Trossard, who couldn’t find a way past Mads Hermansen.
Minutes later Calafiori tried his luck and saw his effort inches past the post.
Rice was at it again with the dead ball deliveries as he put it on the head of Calafiori again, with Konstantinos Mavropanos being there on the line to superbly flick it away.
Needing a spark, the Irons headed up the pitch with Crysencio Summerville, who after a tussle with Ben White, managed to get the crowd in the London Stadium roaring once again.
Seconds later, Summerville would have West Ham’s first shot on target via another counter attack for the Hammers.
The chances had flipped the game on its head as the Irons took control. Jarrod Bowen released Aaron Wan-Bissaka down the right-hand side, who in-turn whipped a cross onto the head of Valentin Castellanos, who’s flying header needed an athletic stop from Raya.
Second-half
Bowen and Saka opened up the second-half by exchanging chances at either end of the pitch.
Rice tried his luck from another Arsenal set piece, but Mavropanos was in the right place again for both his shot and Trossard’s follow up.
12 minutes later, the chance for West Ham arrived. Mateus Fernandes seized on a loose ball, played a one-two with Pablo to end up one on one with Raya, but the Portuguese international could not find a way round the Spanish shot stopper as Arsenal rode their luck.
Five minutes after, the Gunners would get their blow. Substitute Martin Odegaard weaved his way through, picking out Trossard who played the ball through bodies, cannoning off Tomas Soucek and into the net.
With time left, West Ham kept pushing. In the 95th minute, Bowen delivered a corner into a melee of bodies. Raya flapped and Wilson smashed the loose ball over the line.
Goal, for ten minutes or so. Darren England was instructed to do an on-field review and disallowed the goal for a foul on Raya.
The result leaves West Ham’s fate well out of their own hands.
Teams
West Ham United: Hermansen, Wan-Bissaka, Mavropanos, Disasi (Wilson 85), Todibo, Diouf, Fernandes, Souček, Bowen, Summerville, Taty (Pablo 66)
Subs: Areola (GK), Walker-Peters, Scarles, Kilman, Potts, Magassa, Kanté
Booked: Taty, Summerville, Todibo
Arsenal: Raya, White (Zubimendi 28 (Havertz 67)), Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori (Mosquera HT), Lewis-Skelly, Rice, Saka (Maudeke 80), Eze (Ødegaard 67), Trossard, Gyökeres
Subs: Kepa (GK), Hincapié, Martinelli, Dowman
Goal: Trossard 83
Booked: Saka, Mosquera, Saliba, Trossard
Referee: Chris Kavanagh
