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Football history is littered with fateful moments that convince you that a certain outcome is a foregone conclusion, and Arsenal’s seismic victory over West Ham can be added to that long list.
The Gunners needed a late goal and a controversial VAR review to overcome the relegation-threatened Hammers in a ridiculously dramatic conclusion to the London derby.
If ever there was a game to persuade Arsenal fans and neutrals alike that the club’s agonizing 22-year wait for a league title was coming to an end, this was it: a dysfunctional and ugly performance where injuries and tactical missteps allowed the underdogs to take the upper hand, before the Gunners were saved by a player who had not scored in 26 games via a deflected finish just seven minutes from time. end.
And if that wasn’t fateful enough already, there was of course more incredible drama to come as Callum Wilson’s potential 95th-minute equalizer was controversially disallowed following a nearly four-minute VAR review that must have felt like a lifetime to those outside the London Stadium.
The victory and the nature of it means that even the most pessimistic Arsenal supporters will now start to believe that this really is their year, with just two matches remaining, both against teams currently ranked in the bottom six.
Season-defining drama
The late drama of Sunday’s clash was decisive for Arsenal’s season; it could be their ‘Aguerooo’, their Robin van Persie volley, their Vincent Kompany screamer.
And it was really fitting that the two moments that could help this team win the title were so unsightly.
Mikel Arteta’s men have been ridiculed throughout the season for the nature with which they have won victories, maximized set pieces and found a way to win by any means necessary.
It was fitting, then, that it was a deflected strike and an official decision centered on a near-universal brawl from a corner that saw them pick up a seismic three points at West Ham’s expense.
Leandro Trossard had not scored for 26 games when he appeared to sweep away Martin Odegaard’s pass via a big deflection from Tomas Soucek with just seven minutes remaining, restoring Arsenal’s five-point lead over Manchester City at the death.
But, of course, this dramatic moment would be outdone by a VAR review for the ages.
In the fifth minute of injury time the ball finally fell to Wilson from a corner and he volleyed the ball home despite the best efforts of Declan Rice behind the goal line.
But West Ham would be denied their own moment of euphoria while Arsenal fans would get another, as VAR recommended a review and referee Chris Kavanagh ruled out the goal after an excruciating check of the pitch-side monitor.
Striker Pablo was accused of fouling goalkeeper David Raya by holding his arm as he attempted to claim the initial cross.
When we look back at the 2025-26 title race, this could very well be the moment that defines it.
“What a moment”
Arteta understandably found it hard to believe what he had witnessed when he faced the media in his post-match press conference.
“What a moment, what an afternoon, what a week it’s been for us, so full of emotion,” he said.
“I can’t praise enough the attitude, the desire, the courage and the quality of the team that we showed throughout this week because there was so much at stake and today we knew that against a team that is fighting for its life against a club that has an incredible history, how tough it was going to be.
Arteta continued: “A call from the referees that I find very courageous, but very consistent with what they have been talking about all season. When I have to be critical, I have been, and today I have to congratulate them at least for giving the possibility to a referee to decide, away from the lights and the chaos, to give him clarity to make the right choice.
“When you look at the action that way, I think it’s an obvious mistake, and it’s a free kick and the goal has to be disallowed, so congratulations, because they made a big call in very, very difficult circumstances.
The Man City accident
Well before Sunday’s kick-off, there was already a feeling that Arsenal had finally taken full control of the title race, and the nature of this vital victory will go some way to cementing their status as favorites with just 180 minutes to go and a first Premier League crown in 22 painful years.
Man City pushed them hard, hacking away at what was once a healthy lead at the top of the table to put themselves within striking distance of their faltering rivals in time for the run-in, but unlike years past, their resurgence may well have petered out at the worst possible time.
In truth, they are paying for a bad start to the campaign by having too much to do.
Pep Guardiola’s men might have gotten the job done against Brentford on Saturday as they ultimately lost 3-0 thanks to a half-hour second-half blitz.
Last week’s frenzied draw against Everton – another wild encounter that may well enter Arsenal folklore – looks increasingly damaging as they run out of games to close the gap.
It was a result that had been in the balance for City, who were out of form in previous narrow league and FA Cup wins over Burnley and Southampton, respectively.
Arsenal’s chances are also boosted by their rivals’ schedule; the Cityzens face a run of four games in 11 days after reaching the cup final – including a tough trip to European hopefuls Bournemouth and hosting Champions League chasers Aston Villa on the final day.
There are still two games left
Arsenal’s season, meanwhile, comes down to three more games: Burnley at the Emirates, Crystal Palace away on the final day and the Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain.
They could hardly dream of a more favorable national route to cross the finish line, and the motivation is enormous; the Clarets are certainly already relegated and they could be forgiven for looking to the future.
While the generally daunting nature of a trip to Selhurst Park is mitigated by the fact that the Eagles will surely be rotating ahead of their own European final three days later in the Conference League.
Arsenal’s biggest challenge, then, will be overcoming the inevitable nerves to get the job done in two winnable league games.
They could even afford to draw, depending on goal difference and City’s results, although it’s not worth thinking about.
There’s also something to be said for the kind of momentum a win like West Ham’s can bring; the Gunners can use this energy all the way to the finish line.
With championship matters settled, the north Londoners can look forward to a huge showdown with PSG in Budapest, where they will be able to play without the mental shackles of the grueling title race.
“The only important thing”
Arteta clearly recognizes that the change in energy will be hugely important for the rest of the campaign. It’s probably not how he planned it, but it’s certainly something he’ll want to exploit as the club faces arguably the most important weeks in its history.
“It’s been a phenomenal week in every sense of the word,” continued the Spanish tactician.
“What the team did, the way we played, the way we approached the games. Then what our fans did for us this season, all week and today too. It’s phenomenal, I think it changes the energy of the team and we have to live in the present now and think about Burnley because that’s the only important thing.
“There are only two games left, and we created some big chances, but we didn’t score, and the team had to stay calm. And I knew they were going to have moments too, because they don’t need much to create problems around your box with the players they have and the setup they have. So, yeah, we got through that and I think it was a successful game.”
Written in the stars
The fateful nature of Sunday’s dramatic victory over West Ham has therefore placed Arteta and this group of Arsenal players firmly on the path to immortality.
They have never been closer to ending the club’s long wait for a championship crown and finally dispelling the ‘bottle jobs’ label that has plagued them in the modern era, but with just two league matches remaining against favorable opposition, the odds are in the Gunners’ favor.
Having passed the final test of their mettle, Arsenal certainly have a hand on the famous trophy. Now it’s about keeping their cool and riding the wave of what could well be the defining match in their quest for the title, and moments that will be replayed again and again for years to come.
