VAR takes its time to deny Hammers at the death

After Tottenham’s pain, only a slight gain for Aston Villa. Though perhaps a draw and a three-point advantage over their fellow Champions League chasers will eventually prove enough when a first defeat in London under Unai Emery had beckoned.

Nicolò Zaniolo crashed home Villa’s equaliser from Moussa Diaby’s cross. Emery’s in-game management rescuing a point and, at the final whistle, the overriding emotion was relief for Villa and rage from the home fans at the final twist in the tale. Within injury time, it took five minutes and 37 seconds of VAR deliberation – the longest yet in the Premier League – in consultation with Jarred Gillett, the referee, to rule out a late winner from Tomas Soucek for a handball.

“It’s better to win but we draw and we have to accept it,” said Emery. “We changed tactics in the second half and we got chances to score a goal and in the end we did score.”

West Ham, denied two goals by technology ruling handball, could be far more frustrated. 

“The referee decided it was handball,” said Emery. David Moyes accepted the decision but only in passive-aggressive fashion. “You can contact Howard [Webb] yourself,” he said, arms folded. “If VAR think it’s right, then it’s right. I think football people see these things differently.”

The result only added to West Ham’s current existential wrangling. There is a considerable constituency of West Ham fans who would like their club to be managed by a more risk taking, progressive manager. So much for stability, a European trophy and this season’s Europa League run. That Villa, poor until Emery made his changes, were there for the taking will only add to the doubters’ case file.

“We done a job on them in the first half,” said Moyes. “Their substitutions