‘Just because it’s Arsenal’… – Danny Murphy praised for best response to West Ham VAR controversy

The former Liverpool midfielder offered his thoughts on the controversy at the London Stadium.

Former Premier League midfielder-turned-pundit Danny Murphy has been widely praised for his comments on the controversial VAR call that saw West Ham’s late strike against Arsenal ruled out on Sunday.

Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal side went five points clear of second-place Manchester City with a hard-fought 1–0 win over West Ham at the London Stadium, courtesy of Leandro Trossard’s 83rd-minute strike.

The home side thought Callum Wilson had levelled things and secured them a valuable point, only for the strike to be ruled out after a lengthy VAR review, which resulted in referee Chris Kavanagh being sent to the monitor. The official then decided to rule the goal out for a foul on David Raya in the build-up, a decision which has divided the opinion of fans and pundits.

As expected, Arteta praised the call and Kavanagh for his bravery, while West Ham boss Nuno Espírito Santo was less kind, suggesting the officials “don’t know what a foul is” while also claiming they “confuse themselves”.

West Ham are set to lodge an official complaint with the PGMOL following the incident, with the club remaining in the relegation zone with just two matches to play.