Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has hit back at critics following the controversial VAR decision that disallowed West Ham's late equalizer in Arsenal's 1-0 victory on Sunday, May 10, 2026. The win gave Arsenal a crucial three points in the Premier League title race while pushing West Ham closer to relegation.
Match Overview
Leandro Trossard scored the only goal of the match in the 83rd minute after a tightly contested encounter. West Ham thought they had secured a point when Callum Wilson found the net in the 95th minute. However, referee Chris Kavanagh initially awarded the goal but overturned his decision after a VAR review that lasted over four minutes and involved 17 replays on the pitch-side monitor.
Arteta's Response
Speaking in his pre-match press conference ahead of Arsenal's clash with Burnley, Arteta addressed the criticism directed at his team. He stated that the reaction within the squad was extremely positive and emphasized the importance of the victory after a demanding week that included a Champions League semi-final.
"The reaction from our side is extremely positive, because we were so happy with the outcome and the fact that we won the game, such an important game for us as well," Arteta said, as quoted by Arsenal.com. "We had a really, really intense week with the Champions League semi-final. In relation to the reaction, I haven't seen any of that. I'm sorry."
Arteta dismissed the notion that the decision was incorrect, asserting that anyone with football knowledge would agree with the officials. "I've been very consistent on that since July to now, I think it's very clear, I don't think anybody who has football knowledge would question the decision and that they took the right one," he added.
PGMOL Justification
Howard Webb, head of Premier League referees, defended Kavanagh's decision on the eighth episode of 'Match Officials Mic'd Up'. Webb claimed the match officials made the correct call and that the time taken was necessary to perform a thorough review out of respect for the game.
Title Race Implications
Arsenal could be confirmed as Premier League champions on Tuesday if they defeat Burnley and Manchester City fail to beat Bournemouth. When asked if the squad would gather to watch the Bournemouth versus Manchester City match, Arteta declined to engage, stating that the team's sole focus is on beating Burnley.
"I'm sorry, we're not thinking about that type of thing; the only focus is Burnley and winning the game. That's the thing that we can control," he said.
Released Audio Sparks Debate
The Premier League released the audio recording of the conversation between Kavanagh and the VAR officials, which further fueled controversy. The footage revealed confusion from the referee regarding what the VAR was asking him to check during the sequence of play.
