Roy Keane, Ian Wright and Jamie Redknapp all backed VAR’s controversial decision to rule out West Ham’s dramatic stoppage-time equaliser against Arsenal at the London Stadium.
The Hammers thought they had rescued a crucial point when Callum Wilson bundled the ball home deep into added time during Arsenal’s tense 1-0 victory.
But after a lengthy VAR review, referee Chris Kavanagh disallowed the goal for a foul on Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya during the buildup, sparking furious reactions from West Ham players and supporters.
While the decision divided fans online, Sky Sports pundits Keane, Wright and Redknapp were unanimous in their verdict that the correct call had been made.
Former Manchester United captain Keane insisted West Ham made life easy for VAR officials by allowing contact with the goalkeeper to continue for too long.
“When VAR checks those situations, the first thing you avoid is putting your hands on the goalkeeper,” Keane said.
“Certainly don’t leave it there for three or four seconds because they are going to look at everything.”
Keane admitted physical battles inside the penalty area are common, but believed Pablo’s challenge crossed the line because it directly affected Raya’s attempt to claim the ball.
“There’s always contact in the box,” he explained. “But because the goalkeeper had such a big part to play in the situation, I think it’s a foul.
“It was really silly from West Ham. Don’t make it so obvious.”
Arsenal legend Ian Wright also supported the decision, arguing Raya would almost certainly have collected the ball comfortably without the interference.
“I think David Raya catches that if he’s not impeded,” Wright said.
“I’m not a fan of VAR generally, but in this instance it actually did its job.”
Wright also admitted the late drama created one of the most tense moments he had witnessed in recent weeks as Arsenal’s title hopes hung in the balance.
“Everything flashed before my eyes,” he added.
Jamie Redknapp echoed those opinions and pointed specifically to the sustained contact from Pablo on Raya during the corner.
“It’s the amount of time he has his arm across David Raya,” Redknapp explained.
“If it’s another outfield player, maybe you let it go. But because it’s the goalkeeper and he’s being held down and impeded, VAR was always going to intervene.”
Redknapp concluded by saying the foul became impossible to ignore once replay angles showed the arm wrapped around Raya’s neck area.
“He’s got his arm across him,” he said. “For me, it’s a foul.”
The decision ultimately handed Arsenal a vital three points after Leandro Trossard’s late strike separated the two sides in a fiercely contested London derby.
For West Ham, however, the disallowed goal only added to growing frustration surrounding VAR and consistency in Premier League officiating.
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