Peter Schmeichel vented his “anger” over the call to disallow West Ham’s stoppage-time equaliser against Arsenal – insisting the Gunners would “never be top of the league if that’s a free-kick.”
Dramatic scenes at the end of Sunday’s clash at the London Stadium saw Callum Wilson’s stoppage-time goal disallowed after a foul on Gunners keeper David Raya and following a lengthy VAR review.
The call means Arsenal are now two wins from their first Premier League title in 22 years, while West Ham remain one point from safety, with Tottenham playing their game in hand against Leeds this evening.
David Raya was adjudged to have been fouled after a lengthy VAR review (Getty)
The VAR decision provoked inevitable discussion afterwards, with ex-Premier League assistant Darren Caan believing the time has now come for a rule change in the six-yard box at corners. Yet ex-Man Utd goalkeeper Schmeichel’s sympathies were not with Raya on this occasion.
“That decision today, it’s just so wrong on so many levels,” Schmeichel told Viaplay after the game. “What really makes me angry is that Arsenal would never be top of the league if that’s a free kick.
“That’s how they’ve scored so many goals by blocking people, holding people, doing all kinds of things, and then we get to this point. Iit takes VAR five minutes.
“Darren England, the VAR official, [it takes him] five minutes. He starts the replay over and over again. That in itself puts so much doubt into that decision. It cannot be a free kick, it cannot.
“I think it’s so wrong, I just don’t understand why all of a sudden that’s a free kick, because it’s not been for any teams all the way throughout the season.
“All of this, it’s just crazy, and that decision today is just so wrong on so many levels.”
Former Manchester City goalkeeper Shay Given, speaking on Match of the Day, was in a similar frame of mind.
“The thing that grates me is we have seen on numerous occasions with Arsenal this season, goalkeepers and defenders getting blocked off and the goal stands,” he said.
Peter Schmeichel disagreed with the call to disallow West Ham’s equaliser (Getty Images)
“Everyone is frustrated about the consistency of the refereeing decision. Why are some goals allowed to stand and this was disallowed? There is so much at stake at the bottom of the league and the very top.
“The other thing is Gabriel is holding, Odegaard is holding, Trossard is holding, before the foul even happens on Raya. When does the referee decide that’s the foul he wants to pick and not the previous foul?”
On the flip side, pundits such as Roy Keane, Wayne Rooney, Ian Wright, Rob Green and Danny Murphy believed the right decision was made. Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta described the call as “brave”, given what was at stake for both teams.
Rooney told the BBC’s Wayne Rooney Show: “It’s a clear foul. I think you can clearly see the arm crosses his face and it impacts him getting to the ball. So I think it’s the right decision.
“It’s the one time I actually think VAR has done a really good job in such an important game.”
Arsenal next face Burnley next Monday before a final-day clash at Crystal Palace. West Ham, meanwhile, travel to Newcastle next Saturday.
