ARSENAL have been left fuming after Tomas Soucek scored a controversial goal during West Ham’s 2-0 win.

The goal was reviewed by VAR for three minutes and 22 seconds as officials checked if the ball had gone out of play before Jarrod Bowen passed to Soucek to score

VAR checked if the ball went out of play before Jarrod Bowen’s pass

Replays could not determine the ball was out so the goal was allowed to stand

Arsenal suffered a similar fate at Newcastle earlier this season

Thierry Henry has called for more cameras to be introduced to help officials

Replays could not show definitive proof as Bowen’s body blocked the ball from the main camera angle.

The camera from the opposite side of the pitch was also unhelpful and that meant VAR told the referee to stick with his on-pitch decision, which was a goal.

Gunners fans are fuming again with some claiming they have been “robbed” by VAR.

One Gooner said: “VAR hates Arsenal. Clearly out. Happened twice this season.”

Mikel Arteta fumed over a similar incident at Newcastle earlier this season

Another added: “The ball was out, it was completely past the post, VAR then moved it a frame forward when it was back in play. Scandalous!”

A third wrote: “Same mistake VAR made against Newcastle. Then what is the use of VAR for crying out loud. Ball out of play 😡”

VAR reviewed the incident for three minutes and 22 seconds but could not determine for certain whether the ball had gone out of play.

Bowen’s body blocked the view from the main camera angle, with a camera on the opposite side of the pitch also unable to show a definitive perspective.

VAR had no option but to instruct Oliver to stick with his on-pitch decision, and Henry accepted the officials were helpless.

At half-time during the West Ham game Gunners legend Thierry Henry called for more cameras to be introduced which would have given a birds-eye view of the incident.

He said: “Well that is the second time for us, Newcastle away. But if you want to help the referees to have the right angle, if you want to know the ball is out you have to be above the ball.

“That is the only way you can know if the ball is out or not.

“We are in 2023 soon 2024 and we still don’t have a camera that is above, it’s too many times where you don’t know if the ball is out or not.

“So can we have a camera that can be above that can see if the ball is out or not, if not it is just impossible to see it.”

 

Former Premier League referee Mark Clattenburg insisted the goal had to stand as officials could not prove the ball went out.

He said: “There’s no other decision the officials can give.

“The on-field decision is a goal. We cannot be 100 per cent certain that the ball has gone out. As the ball has to be clearly over the line, there’s no conclusive evidence.”

Arsenal suffered a similar fate in their 1-0 defeat at Newcastle earlier this season.

On that occasion Joe Willock was judged to have kept the ball in play by a matter of inches, with Anthony Gordon eventually bundling in his cross

The incident sparked a meltdown from Mikel Arteta who brandished the officials “embarrassing” for allowing the goal to stand.

Arsenal published a letter after the match calling on the PGMOL to “address the standard of officiating”.