VAR 'guesswork' gets Arsenal raging as ludicrous offside angle leaves Gary Neville with big burning question

Arsenal were left stunned after their goal against Everton was chalked off for offside - despite the best angle available leaving it unclear at best.

And Gary Neville accused the officials of "guesswork" after Mikel Arteta was left flapping his arms on the touchline at the decision following a long VAR delay. Gabriel Martinelli thought he'd opened the scoring at Goodison Park and after wild celebrations in front of the furious home support, the players returned to the halfway line all expecting the goal to stand. But on-field referee Simon Hooper halted the restart with Stuart Atwell in the VAR room drawing the lines for offside.

In the end it was ruled that Eddie Nketiah, who had been involved in the build-up, was offside by hair's breadth and it was chalked off. But the only angle provided to broadcasters Sky Sports for replays was nowhere near in line with the lines drawn - leading to questions over how the officials could fairly judge such a tight offside call with only that to base it on.

Arsenal fans were heard furiously booing while Arteta and his coaches stood perplexed, and Neville sympathised with the anger and confusion as he said: "Is that the best angle they've got? How can they call it offside off the back of that? I think there's some guesswork going on here from the officials..." But the decision stood with Arsenal forced to look for another way through a resilient Everton defence.

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