Arsenal have found themselves on the wrong side of a controversial VAR decision yet again as Tomas Soucek’s first-half strike gave West Ham United a vital lead.
The Gunners failed to clear their lines at the back, gifting West Ham a golden opportunity.
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Hammers winger Jarrod Bowen raced onto the loose ball to pull it back across the face of goal to put it on a platter for Soucek to score the opener.
However, there was plenty of contention as to whether Bowen crossed the ball before it had gone out of play for a goal kick.
VAR checked the incident but was unable to overturn the goal as not enough angles of the ball were available to truly see if it had crossed the line, meaning Soucek’s strike stood.
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Ange Postecoglou’s Tottenham Hotspur threatened a miracle comeback but it was not to be as they lost 4-2 away to Brighton.
Tottenham’s trip to the Amex Stadium started in horrendous fashion amid two costly defensive errors in the first half.
Brighton went ahead in the 11th minute through teenager Jack Hinshellwood when he fired a rapid strike past a helpless Guglielmo Vicario inside the box.
Seagulls striker Joao Pedro wriggled away from defenders before shifting the ball to the right, where an unmarked Hinshellwood waited.
The teen took a touch before smashing his effort into the net.
Brighton doubled their advantage just 12 minutes later through Pedro from the penalty spot thanks to a VAR check.
The hosts were incensed when Danny Welbeck looked to be pulled down in the box by Dejan Kulusevski, although referee Jarred Gillett initially did not see the foul.
But VAR directed Gillett to review the incident on the pitchside monitor and it didn’t take long for the Australian ref to see Kulusevski’s blatant pull of Welbeck’s shirt and subsequently point to the spot.
Pedro stepped up to take the penalty and sent Vicario the wrong way from the spot as the Seagulls boosted their lead.
Tottenham began to find their way back into the contest in the second half and had the ball in the back of the net courtesy of Richarlison, but the Brazilian had timed his run a fraction early and was flagged for offside.
Brighton then re-took the ascendancy Pervis Estupinan unleashed a stunning strike from distance that beat Vicario and flew into the top corner.
Pedro scored his second penalty of the game after he was fouled by Tottenham’s Giovani Lo Celso in the box, but the drama was not done there.
Tottenham scored a consolation in the 81st minute through young gun Alejo Veliz, but the comeback looked on when Ben Davies nodded home a cross from Pedro Porro just four minutes later.
The visitors came inches from scoring a third when Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg’s strike smacked the post in stoppage time and it was as close to Tottenham got to another goal as Brighton held on for a needed three points.
PREMIER LEAGUE RESULTS
Brighton 4-2 Tottenham
Arsenal v West Ham United
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