West Ham United are set to lodge a formal complaint with the Professional Game Match Officials (PGMO) following the controversial decision to disallow a goal by Callum Wilson in their recent Premier League match against Arsenal. The goal was ruled out after David Raya, the Arsenal goalkeeper, was judged to have been fouled by West Ham's Pablo during a set piece.
The club plans to contact PGMO seeking clarity on why the challenge was penalised. While West Ham acknowledge that the complaint is unlikely to change the outcome, they are expected to request the audio recordings between referee Chris Kavanagh and video assistant referee Darren England, who advised Kavanagh to review the incident at the pitchside monitor.
Had the goal stood, the match would have ended 1-1, leaving West Ham level on points with 17th-placed Tottenham. The club expressed frustration over what they perceive as a lack of consistency in penalising challenges at set pieces. However, several former referees have supported Kavanagh and England's decision, stating it was correct.
The International Football Association Board (IFAB) is expected to address the issue of grappling during set plays in its upcoming discussions starting this autumn. Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta praised the officials, calling them 'very brave' and suggesting the decision could shape the season for both clubs.
