Arsenal suffered an early setback at the Emirates on Thursday evening when Tomas Soucek scored, but a lengthy pause ensued before the goal was confirmed.
VAR reviewed whether Jarrod Bowen had kept the ball in play during the build-up to the goal, and due to inconclusive camera angles, the decision ultimately favored the goal being awarded.
The incident evoked memories of a similar situation during Arsenal’s defeat to Newcastle earlier in the season, which prompted Mikel Arteta’s famous critique of referees. At that time, the camera angles suggested the ball had gone out of play, but ultimate confirmation eluded the officials until later footage revealed otherwise.
Gary Neville, in a segment on Sky Sports, detailed the sequence of events, which led to Arsenal fans expressing frustration over Soucek’s goal. Light-heartedly, Neville posted an image from the segment, highlighting how the ball had not crossed the line, prompting banter with a Gunners supporter who criticized his past performance as a full-back.
Mark Clattenberg, appearing on Amazon Prime, clarified why West Ham’s goal was upheld, citing the need for conclusive evidence to overturn the on-field decision. From his perspective, the available angles indicated that the ball was marginally in play, contributing to the goal’s validation. Furthermore, he provided a positive note for Arsenal, highlighting the promising interconnected play of the front trio, which appeared more compact and threatening during the match.
