By Abasi Ita
Former Wayne Rooney has defended VAR’s decision to disallow West Ham United’s late equaliser against Arsenal F.C., insisting the officials made the correct call in a crucial Premier League clash.
West Ham thought they had secured a dramatic stoppage time equaliser after Callum Wilson scored late in the encounter. However, the goal was ruled out following a VAR review which found that Pablo Fornals fouled Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya in the build up.
Arsenal held on for a 1-0 victory to move five points ahead of Manchester City F.C. at the top of the Premier League table, while West Ham remained in the relegation zone.
Speaking on the “Wayne Rooney Show” as reported by BBC Sport, Rooney said the contact on Raya clearly affected the goalkeeper’s ability to challenge for the ball.
He acknowledged that opinions would differ among fans but maintained that the decision was correct because the foul was obvious on replay.
Rooney also praised the use of VAR in such an important match, describing it as one of the few occasions where the technology worked effectively under pressure.
Despite backing the ruling, the former Manchester United F.C. striker criticised the level of protection often given to goalkeepers by referees, arguing that minimal contact around them frequently results in fouls being awarded.