Former Premier League assistant referee Darren Cann has weighed in on the controversial VAR decision that denied West Ham a late equalizer against Arsenal, stating that the officials made the correct call. The Gunners had taken a 1-0 lead through Leandro Trossard late in the match, but West Ham thought they had snatched a point when Calum Wilson bundled the ball into the net. However, after a VAR review, the goal was chalked off, allowing Arsenal to secure a vital victory.
Cann, speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live, explained that the decision was straightforward. He pointed out that West Ham’s Pablo Fornals had his arm across Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya, clearly impeding him. “It’s a foul by Pablo holding Raya’s arm and clearly impeding him,” Cann said. He also noted that “Todibo had his shirt pulled as well.” Cann emphasized that the arm across Raya prevented him from catching the ball, making the foul obvious.
The former official expressed sympathy for West Ham given the dramatic timing but stressed that the bottom line is it was a foul. “Unfortunately, it’s a shame for West Ham given the timing, but it’s a foul — that’s the bottom line,” he added. The decision meant Arsenal moved five points clear of Manchester City with only two matches remaining in the season.