Arsenal took a significant step toward their first Premier League title in over two decades on Sunday, as Belgian winger Leandro Trossard scored a late winner to secure a hard-fought 1-0 victory at West Ham United's London Stadium. The result restores Arsenal's five-point lead at the top of the table, with Manchester City holding a game in hand on 74 points.
The match was anything but straightforward for Arsenal. West Ham — a London club currently fighting to avoid relegation — created several good opportunities throughout the afternoon, with Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya keeping his side in contention. The breakthrough finally came in the 83rd minute, when Trossard guided a composed low shot into the net from a Martin Odegaard pass, sending the travelling Arsenal supporters into delirium.
The drama was far from over. Deep into stoppage time, with West Ham's goalkeeper Mads Hermansen venturing forward for a corner, substitute Callum Wilson slammed the ball home to seemingly equalise. The stadium erupted — briefly. After a lengthy review, the video assistant referee (VAR) instructed referee Chris Kavanagh to disallow the goal, ruling that West Ham substitute Pablo had fouled goalkeeper Raya in the build-up. Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville described it as the "biggest VAR call in the history of the Premier League." Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, who had looked aghast moments earlier, could finally exhale.
For Arsenal, the path to the title is now clear: victories in their remaining two fixtures — at home to Burnley and away to Crystal Palace on the final day — would confirm the club's first league championship since 2004. The club also secured a place in the Champions League final earlier this week, making this a potentially historic end to the season.
The result carried a painful dimension for West Ham, who deserved at least a point for a resilient performance. Defeat leaves them staring at relegation, and they could fall four points from safety if Tottenham Hotspur beat Leeds United on Monday. What may become a footnote in Arsenal's title story could prove decisive in a very different kind of battle at the bottom of the table.