In a fiery post-match interview, West Ham manager Nuno Santo has slammed Premier League referees, claiming they "don't know what is a foul" after his side's late equalizer against Arsenal was controversially ruled out by VAR.
The drama unfolded in the 95th minute at the London Stadium, with the Gunners leading 1-0 thanks to Leandro Trossard's 83rd-minute strike. Just when it seemed West Ham's hopes were dashed, Callum Wilson bundled the ball home from a corner, sparking wild celebrations. However, VAR intervened, ruling that Pablo had impeded Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya in the buildup—a decision that left the Hammers' faithful and their manager fuming.
"Due to the circumstances of the game, the way it finished, we were all upset, of course," Santo told Sky Sports. "I didn't even look at the replay, just to avoid getting more upset. But there's a referee, there's VAR, and there are past incidents that have been judged differently. This has been happening for recent seasons now. Even the referees don't know what is a foul and what isn't. It creates a lot of doubts and speculation."
The match had been a tense, tightly contested affair, with both sides struggling to break the deadlock for most of the 90 minutes. Santo was keen to highlight the positives from his team's performance, despite the bitter disappointment.
"Let's look at the game overall. We made a very good match—the attitude, the character, the belief, how the boys went for it. We created chances, we tried to control Arsenal, and they're a tough team. Overall, it was a very good performance that, in the end, didn't bring the result we expected, wanted, or needed. We wanted to win the game. We lost the game. That's it."
The defeat leaves West Ham languishing in 18th place in the Premier League table, one point behind Tottenham, having played a game more. For fans and neutrals alike, this latest VAR controversy adds fuel to the ongoing debate about the consistency of officiating in English football—a conversation that shows no signs of cooling down anytime soon.