Jamie Carragher shares his clearest take yet on the Arsenal and West Ham VAR drama
Arsenal took a 1-0 win over West Ham on Sunday afternoon, bringing them closer to winning the Premier League title. But the match wasn’t without drama. Fans and experts have been talking a lot about the referee’s decision to rule out a late West Ham goal. Jamie Carragher has now shared his thoughts on the matter.
West Ham thought they’d scored a last-minute equaliser to help with their fight against relegation, but the goal was ruled out. The referee said that Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya had been fouled during the build-up, as his arm was held, stopping him from catching the ball.
Referee Chris Kavanagh went to check the pitchside monitor before changing his mind and disallowing the goal. Since then, lots of people have shared their opinions. Peter Schmeichel was very critical of the decision after the match, while Danny Murphy explained why the foul call was right on Match of the Day.
Before the Spurs vs Leeds game on Sky Sports, Jamie Carragher gave his take. He said the decision took a while because there were many things to check. He asked people to appreciate the pressure on the referee, since the call affected not just these two teams, but also Manchester City and Tottenham. Carragher believes they made the right decision in the end.
He also pointed out that people who disagree often have ties to Manchester City or West Ham, or simply don’t want Arsenal to win the league. He explained that Arsenal have often pushed the limits in games, which sometimes makes fans dislike them.
Carragher went into detail about the foul, saying there was definitely some holding by players in the box. But for him, the key was the way Trossard held Raya’s arm, which stopped the goalkeeper from raising his hand. That’s something you can’t do, and it’s a foul.
He added that while some people think Arsenal get away with too much, they actually get punished sometimes too. He gave examples from previous seasons where Arsenal were called for similar fouls.
West Ham’s manager, Nuno Espirito Santo, feels the decision was unfair and wants referees to be more consistent about fouls on goalkeepers during set-pieces. Right now, with just two games left, West Ham’s fight to stay in the Premier League is getting harder. Spurs are now four points ahead after their win against Leeds, so the Hammers will need a real miracle to secure their place next season.