Danny Murphy’s reply to the West Ham VAR drama is being praised, even though he said, “Just because it’s Arsenal.”
Former Premier League midfielder turned pundit Danny Murphy has been getting a lot of praise for his thoughts on the controversial VAR decision that wiped out West Ham’s late goal against Arsenal on Sunday.
Arsenal, managed by Mikel Arteta, moved five points ahead of second-place Manchester City with a tough 1–0 win over West Ham at the London Stadium, thanks to Leandro Trossard’s goal in the 83rd minute.
West Ham thought Callum Wilson’s goal had earned them a valuable draw, but after a long VAR review, referee Chris Kavanagh went to the monitor and ruled the goal out for a foul on David Raya during the build-up. This decision has split opinions among fans and experts.
Arteta supported the call and praised Kavanagh for his courage, while West Ham’s manager Nuno Espírito Santo criticized the officials, saying they “don’t know what a foul is” and that they often “confuse themselves.”
West Ham plans to file an official complaint with the PGMOL after this, as they stay in the relegation zone with just two games left.
On Sunday evening, Murphy shared his views during BBC Match of the Day 2 and received lots of praise for his take.
Former Premier League goalkeeper Shay Given also expressed his frustration, saying: “What bothers me is that we’ve seen Arsenal get goals allowed this season even when goalkeepers and defenders got blocked. People are annoyed about referee decisions not being consistent. Why was this goal disallowed and others allowed? So much is on the line at both the bottom and top of the table.
“Also, Gabriel, Ødegaard, and Trossard were all holding before the foul on Raya even happened. When does the referee decide which foul to call?”
Murphy responded: “The upset about West Ham’s goal being disallowed comes down to it being Arsenal. You can’t blame past decisions on this one.
“The VAR officials just have to call what they see, and this was a clear foul. Just because it involves Arsenal, we shouldn’t twist it.”
Fans were quick to praise Murphy on social media.
One said: “This moment from @BBCMOTD shows how deluded some people are about Arsenal. Shay was upset because this means Arsenal might win the league and pretended it’s about something else. But credit to Danny Murphy. It’s a foul, and anyone who can’t see it is blinded by hate.”
Another added: “Well done, Danny Murphy. He’s not falling for anti-Arsenal bias.”
A third said: “Credit to Danny Murphy for telling it like it is.”
A fourth wrote: “Danny is making perfect sense. If this had happened to any other team, there would be no outrage. People would even be making fun of West Ham.”
West Ham will play away at Newcastle on May 17, and Arsenal will host Burnley on May 18.