Former England and Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney has supported VAR’s decision to rule out West Ham United’s late equaliser against Arsenal, stating that the officials handled the situation correctly in a crucial Premier League encounter.
West Ham believed they had earned a dramatic point when Callum Wilson scored deep into added time, a goal that could have damaged Arsenal’s title hopes while aiding the Hammers’ survival battle.
Following an extended VAR check, however, the effort was disallowed due to a foul committed by Pablo Fornals on Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya.
The decision allowed Arsenal to secure a vital 1-0 victory, extending their lead over Manchester City to five points at the top of the table, while West Ham stayed 18th, below Tottenham Hotspur.
According to BBC Sport on Monday, Rooney, speaking on the “Wayne Rooney Show,” insisted the match officials arrived at the right conclusion despite expected controversy surrounding the incident.
“It’s a clear foul. You’re going to obviously get a lot of people saying they think it should have stood because it’s controversial, and probably all the players, staff, and fans, and they are going to say it should have stood. And then you’re going to get all the Tottenham fans, players, staff saying it shouldn’t have stood and of course the Arsenal fans and stuff,” he said.
