West Ham: Nuno Espirito Santo makes Premier League demand after disallowed goal in Arsenal defeat | OneFootball

Hammers thought they had rescued a point against the Premier League leaders, only for VAR to intervene in stoppage time

Nuno Espirito Santo has demanded that the Premier League clarify the rules over set-pieces after West Ham were denied a last-gasp equaliser against Arsenal.

West Ham trail Tottenham in 17th by a point, but Spurs have a game in hand and home matches against Leeds and Everton to come.

It could have been different had West Ham snatched the point they seemingly appeared to have done in stoppage-time.

Callum Wilson hammered in a strike that crossed the line despite Declan Rice's efforts, but it was chalked off after an agonisingly lengthy VAR review.

Pablo was deemed to have fouled David Raya with an arm across the goalkeeper. It was chaos in the six-yard box with players falling over amid the wrestling going on.

The VAR process took more than four minutes and involved referee Chris Kavanagh watching the replays 17 times at the pitchside monitors.

"They have to solve it," Nuno said of the decision to rule West Ham's goal out.

"They have to come to the clubs and explain and show why sometimes it is, sometimes it's not. Sometimes it's a goal, sometimes not a goal.

"Everybody feels confused. Today we are upset, we are sad."

West Ham were denied a last-gasp point against Arsenal

Getty

Nuno did not hit out at that particular decision or go strong in insisting that there was no foul from Pablo on Raya.

However, the West Ham boss instead pointed to how set-pieces were officiated in general and why this incident was singled out above others.

"It's the lack of consistency with the decisions," Nuno said.

"These previous recent seasons have been having a lot of blocking, grappling, holding. Almost like a wrestling situation that all of us don't even understand what is a foul, what is not a foul. I think even the referees confuse themselves."

"I have the same view of everybody. Sometimes I think it is, sometimes I think not because then you look at every corner in the Premier League. What's happening? It's something like this.

"Not only today but in all the pitches. Everybody, us included, are trying. But what is the barrier, what is the frontier of what is a foul and what is not a foul? It is tough."

I think even the referees confuse themselves.

Nuno Espirito Santo on West Ham's disallowed goal

Unsurprisingly Mikel Arteta was adamant that the long review resulted in the right decision being made.

While the review was going on, Arteta made it clear that he felt the goal had to be ruled out and he praised the officials for eventually doing so.

"It's very brave but very consistent with what they've been talking about all season," Arteta said.

"When I have to be critical I have been. Today I have to praise them at least for giving the option for the referee to decide away from the lights and the chaos, to give clarity for him to make the right call.

"When you look at the action in that way, it is an obvious error. The goal has to be disallowed."

The atmosphere was on a knife-edge during those few minutes as both sets of fans waited for a decision that could define the seasons of the two clubs.

Pablo was adjudged to have fouled Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya

PA

Kavanagh's explanation of his decision was drowned out by boos from the West Ham and Arteta suggested he had a new-found respect for referees after such a big call was made in that atmosphere.

"Probably today I have realised how difficult and how big the referee’s job is,” Arteta said.

"Because you're talking about a moment that can decide the history, the course of two massive clubs, that are fighting with their lives to achieve their objectives.