LONDON — Arsenal moved five points clear at the top of the Premier League after a hard-fought 1-0 victory over West Ham United at the London Stadium on Sunday, May 10, 2026.
Leandro Trossard scored the decisive goal in the 83rd minute, firing home from close range with an assist from Martin Ødegaard to hand the Gunners a crucial three points in their pursuit of a first Premier League title in 22 years.
The result leaves Arsenal needing just two more wins from their remaining fixtures to be crowned champions for the first time since the 2003-04 Invincibles season. Manchester City remain five points behind with three games still to play.
The match was defined by late VAR drama. In the 95th minute, West Ham thought they had snatched a dramatic equaliser when Callum Wilson headed home from a corner, sending the home fans into wild celebration. However, VAR intervened, directing referee Chris Kavanagh to the pitch-side monitor.
Replays showed a clear foul by West Ham defender Pablo on Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya, with the defender placing his arm across the goalkeeper’s neck during the initial delivery. The goal was disallowed, preserving Arsenal’s lead.
Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville described the moment as “the biggest moment in VAR history in the Premier League.”
Arsenal dominated possession and created more chances, registering 15 shots to West Ham’s nine. Trossard had earlier struck the crossbar twice from the same corner in the first half. David Raya also produced a vital save to deny Matheus Fernandes before the break.
Mikel Arteta’s side showed resilience in the second half, but the victory came at a cost. Defender Ben White was forced off with an injury, forcing Arteta to reshuffle his defence by moving Declan Rice to right-back and bringing on Piero Hincapie. The extent of White’s injury remains uncertain, with the Champions League final just weeks away.
West Ham manager Nuno Espírito Santo expressed frustration after the match, saying: “There is a referee and VAR, there are circumstances in the past that have been judged differently. Even the referees don’t know what is a foul and what is not a foul. It creates doubt.”
Arsenal will now turn their focus to sealing the title with a home game against already-relegated Burnley, followed by a trip to Crystal Palace. Manchester City must win all three of their remaining matches and hope Arsenal slip up to retain any realistic chance of defending their title.
