'Hard to take': Nuno Espirito Santo fumes at late Brighton equaliser as West Ham denied vital win | OneFootball

Hammers are back in the bottom three after last-gasp leveller

Nuno Espirito Santo was exasperated that Georginio Rutter’s goal was allowed to stand as Brighton snatched a point against West Ham at the Amex Stadium.

Replays showed the Frenchman to accidentally handle the ball before he netted, but the Premier League Match Centre issued a statement afterwards explaining why the decision to allow the goal was taken.

"The referee's call of goal was checked and confirmed by VAR - with it deemed that Rutter's arm was in a natural position and he did not deliberately handle the ball, and the contact with the arm was not immediately prior to him scoring," the statement read, concurring with the VAR decision on the south coast.

West Ham boss Nuno was furious with the decision, and he made his feelings clear in his post-match interview.

"It was a handball, wasn't it, and a high foot,” the Portuguese told Sky Sports.

“No need to speak with the referee. I think it was the main factor. It's clear. I saw it, everybody saw it. VAR saw it, everybody saw it. I think both situations should be checked. It's hard to take, man, it's really hard to take, especially after the hard work of the boys, the support of our fans that makes us feel like we were in London.

“Then comes one situation, so many people see it, it's hard to take."

The result leaves West Ham in the relegation zone, and a win - had they held on - would have had them 17th, outside of the