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Callum Wilson has spoken out following the controversial decision to disallow his late equaliser during West Ham United F.C.’s Premier League clash against Arsenal, according to Metro.
The dramatic moment came in stoppage time of Sunday’s London derby when Wilson thought he had rescued a crucial point for West Ham in their battle to avoid relegation. The striker reacted quickly inside the penalty area after Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya spilled the ball under pressure, firing home from close range.
Initially, referee Chris Kavanagh allowed the goal to stand. However, after a lengthy VAR review, he was instructed to check the pitch-side monitor before eventually overturning his decision.
The officials ruled that West Ham player Pablo had committed a foul on Raya by holding the goalkeeper’s arm during the build-up to the goal.
The decision immediately sparked major debate among supporters, pundits and former players, with many questioning whether similar incidents have been judged consistently throughout the season.
Speaking after the match, Wilson admitted that he could understand why the incident might be interpreted as a foul, but insisted the lack of consistency remains the biggest problem.
“For me it’s against us, are you saying it’s a foul? Possibly,” Wilson said.
“But of course, there’s incidents that have happened throughout the season that are similar.”
The striker explained that players become frustrated when similar physical challenges are treated differently from one game to another.
“I just think if there’s consistency then there’s no complaints from anybody,” he added.
Wilson also argued that the officials focused too heavily on one isolated moment instead of examining the entire sequence of events inside the penalty area.
The West Ham forward pointed out that physical battles between attackers and defenders are common during set-pieces and corners in modern football. According to Wilson, many teams use similar blocking and grappling tactics, including Arsenal themselves.
Wilson also referenced Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Magalhães while discussing the incident, claiming there were several fouls occurring simultaneously in the crowded penalty area.
The disallowed goal proved decisive, as Arsenal held on to secure all three points and strengthen their position in the Premier League title race.
The incident was later defended by PGMOL chief Howard Webb on the Match Officials Mic’d Up programme, where he explained the reasoning behind the VAR intervention and the referee’s final decision.
Meanwhile, Pep Guardiola also commented on the controversy, stating that teams must focus on winning games convincingly rather than relying on marginal officiating decisions.
