Former England and Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney has voiced strong support for the video assistant referee’s call to disallow West Ham’s late equalizer against Arsenal, calling it a “clear foul.”
The Hammers appeared to have dealt a major blow to Arsenal’s title ambitions and boosted their own survival hopes when Callum Wilson struck in stoppage time. However, a VAR review ruled the goal out after Pablo was judged to have fouled Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya.
The Gunners went on to win 1-0, opening up a five-point lead over Manchester City at the top of the Premier League. Meanwhile, West Ham remain in 18th place, just one point behind Tottenham Hotspur.
“It’s a clear foul,” Rooney said on the Wayne Rooney Show. “You’re going to get a lot of people saying it should have stood because it’s controversial. All the City players, staff, and fans will say it should have stood. Then the Tottenham fans, players, and staff—along with Arsenal supporters—will say it shouldn’t. But it’s a clear foul. You can clearly see the arm crosses his face and impacts his ability to get to the ball. So it’s the right decision.”
Rooney added that this is one of the few times he believes VAR handled a crucial moment well. However, he lamented the advantage goalkeepers typically receive inside their own area.
“Where VAR and referees are consistent—and I hate it—is you go anywhere near the goalkeeper and it’s a foul. Throughout my career as a player, I’ve disliked goalkeepers because of that. They can jump with their arms, giving them a big advantage, and they often come out with their knees and studs down your back. But it’s consistent—if you go near them, they usually get a free-kick.”
Other pundits also weighed in on the decision. Former Premier League assistant referee Darren Cann called it “the biggest VAR call in Premier League history,” while ex-Newcastle goalkeeper Shay Given questioned the consistency of such decisions across the season. Given noted that Arsenal themselves have benefited from similar situations this season, where goals involving goalkeeper interference were allowed to stand.
Former Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy dismissed the controversy, stating, “Just because it’s Arsenal, we shouldn’t distort the decision. The VAR officials saw a clear foul and made the right call.”
Ex-West Ham goalkeeper Rob Green acknowledged the foul but echoed concerns about inconsistency, saying, “There have been so many of these this season. It’s been a heavily discussed topic, and the inconsistency is huge. For it to come down to this is massive.”
