West Ham United are piling pressure on the Premier League after officials behind a hugely controversial Spurs incident were put in charge of the club’s crucial clash with Newcastle.
The straight relegation shootout between West Ham and bitter rivals Tottenham Hotspur has taken a stunning new twist.
It looked like the Hammers were all but doomed to demotion from the Premier League after the harsh and massively controversial 1-0 loss to Arsenal on Sunday.
That result gave Tottenham the chance to put a four-point gap between themselves and West Ham when they faced Leeds on Monday night.
West Ham lodge formal complaint to Premier League over officiating
But Spurs were fortunate to come away with a 1-1 draw against the Elland Road outfit, breathing new life into West Ham’s survival hopes.
Nuno Espirito Santo’s side now know victory at Newcastle on Sunday will see them climb out of the drop zone and back above Spurs with a game to go.
How do you feel about the decision now the VAR audio has been released? 😬
What was the correct decision? Goal, no goal or penalty? 🤔
The onus will then be on Tottenham to get a result away at fierce rivals Chelsea, where they have a dismal record.
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There is even a scenario where West Ham could stay up with just one win from their last two games against the Magpies and Leeds.
West Ham are far from happy with the Premier League ahead of the Newcastle game, though.
With ramifications for the title and relegation battle, West Ham’s game against Arsenal was hands down the biggest single match of the Premier League season.
It certainly lived up to its billing with high drama, culminating in what’s been billed as the most controversial decision in the history of VAR after its intervention in disallowing Callum Wilson’s late equaliser.
There was then further VAR controversy when Tottenham faced Leeds 24 hours later.
West Ham pile pressure on as Spurs officials named for Newcastle clash
Tottenham survived a very questionable VAR offside call when the graphic used to justify the decision did not match the actual footage that appeared to show Dominic Calvert-Lewin was actually played onside before being fouled for what would have been a certain penalty to Leeds.
West Ham fans watching on were understandably furious given what has transpired in their game the day before.
Oh wow 👀 How has Tottenham’s draw with Leeds made YOU feel about the relegation battle?!
This weirdly feels like a boost?
They were the latest in a long line of questionable decisions and VAR interventions involving the Hammers.
And West Ham have now questioned the Premier League as the officials who were in charge for the controversial Spurs vs Leeds clash were handed West Ham’s crunch match at Newcastle.
West Ham are lodging an official complaint to the Premier League and the PGMOL over the disallowed goal that has pushed them closer to relegation and helped swing the title race in favour of Arsenal.
Hammers News understands club chiefs are ‘livid’ that the officials needed more than four minutes to cancel the goal, stating it could not therefore have been a ‘clear-and-obvious error’.
The Hammers are concerned about what they feel has become a pattern of big decisions impacting the team.
That’s after West Ham were denied a clear penalty at Brentford and saw an own goal by Konstantinos Mavropanos allowed to stand despite an obvious and dangerous foul on the centre-back before he put through his own net.
There have even been whispers West Ham could consider suing the Premier League if they are relegated.
The mood at the London Stadium will not be improved by the Premier League’s choice of officials for West Ham’s next game against Newcastle.
Jarred Gillet and Craig Pawson have been appointed to the crunch clash on Sunday.
Gillet was the referee for Spurs’ draw with Leeds, whilst Pawson was on VAR for the game.
The pair will assume the same roles on the weekend.
It will be the 10th time Gillet has taken charge of a West Ham game and the fourth this season, having – rather ironically – refereed both fixtures against Tottenham Hotspur.
To rub salt in the wound for West Ham, Pawson will be on VAR duties at Stockley Park just two weeks after refereeing the incident-filled defeat at Brentford.