Mikel Arteta hailed two Arsenal players and referee Chris Kavanagh after the dramatic Premier League win over West Ham.
The Gunners moved a step closer to becoming Premier League championswith a vital 1-0 victory on the London Stadium on Sunday.
Leandro Trossard’s deflected strike gave Arsenal a late lead after David Raya produced a large save to disclaim Mateus Fernandes.
There was more late drama in east London, nevertheless, as West Ham thought that they had scored a late equaliser when Callum Wilson turned home from a corner.
But after a lengthy VAR check the goal was disallowed for a foul on Raya and Arsenal went on to carry on and clinch a vital win which leaves them five points clear of second-placed Manchester City.
Arteta reserved special praise for Raya and Martin Odegaard after the victory, with Arsenal’s captain providing the assist for Trossard’s winner after coming on as a second-half subsitute.
The Gunners boss also ‘congratulated’ referee Kavanagh and the VAR officials for showing the ‘courage’ to disallow West Ham’s late goal.
‘I believe we began the sport so well,’ Arteta said. ‘We created three big possibilities but didn’t manage to attain the goal, then Ben White’s injury is available in and we have now to regulate that.
‘It doesn’t really work out and half-time we have now to alter Calafiori as well, one other change, so it’s not ideal. But I believe we showed quite a lot of courage with the changes and the individuals that bring.
‘I believe we got rewarded because Martin made an incredible motion to win us the sport, other than David’s save within the seventieth minute.
‘In case you want the possibility to major trophies, you would like moments and actions and the individuals creating those magic moments and David actually – like Martin Odegaard – created a moment to win us the sport.’
On the VAR check which led to West Ham’s disallowed goal, Arteta added: ‘Ultimately, that is the fantastic thing about the Premier League.
‘In all this chaos and with the keeper in your box, they managed to attain. The referee and the VAR today had quite a lot of courage to stop and analyse the motion and give the chance to the referee to make the decision.
‘I believe no person would disagree that it’s a transparent foul because David has the ball almost in his hands and so they don’t allow him to do this and so they make the most to attain the goal.
‘My instinct, because I watched it live, is that it was going to be a foul. But I understand and today I realised for the referees to be in that position and make that decision and alter the course of 1 the 2 teams, what a responsibility. What an enormous call.
‘After I needed to be critical, I actually have been. Today I actually have to congratulate them [referees]. Numerous courage and bravado to face out and give the chance to the referee to have a take a look at the motion.’
While Arsenal boosted their title hopes, West Ham sunk closer to relegation following a heartbreaking defeat.
Hammers boss Nuno Espirito Santo said he felt a combination of ‘frustration and sadness’ after the sport and criticised the ‘lack of consistency’ in refereeing decisions.
‘We knew how crucial it was,’ he said. ‘Frustration, that is what we’re feeling now, but mostly sadness.
‘I believe it’s an absence of consistency that has been happening in recent seasons. The referees are allowing quite a lot of blocking and grappling almost and sometimes they judge it in another way.
‘That is the frustration now of not understanding what’s a foul and what isn’t a foul.’
West Ham remain 18th within the Premier League, one point below Arsenal’s north London rivals Tottenham with just two games remaining.
The Hammers visit St James’ Park to face Newcastle United next weekend while Arsenal face Burnley at home on Monday week.
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