west ham, arsenal tension (foto: Screenshot)
Tensions exploded inside the London Stadium after suspected Arsenal fans celebrated Leandro Trossard’s winner in the West Ham home section.
West Ham supporters erupted in anger during the dramatic defeat against Arsenal after suspected away fans were confronted inside the home section of the London Stadium.
The heated scenes quickly spread across social media after videos from inside the stadium appeared online.
The Premier League clash carried enormous pressure for both clubs.
Arsenal arrived chasing the league title, while West Ham desperately needed points in the battle against relegation.
The tension inside the stadium increased throughout the evening and exploded completely after Leandro Trossard scored the winning goal seven minutes before the end.
Arsenal supporters in the away section celebrated wildly.
But the bigger drama soon unfolded elsewhere.
Several videos showed a small group of men inside the West Ham end being aggressively pushed and forced down the stairs toward the exits.
Supporters surrounding them shouted insults while security attempted to calm the situation.
According to reports, the group allegedly celebrated Arsenal’s goal while sitting among home supporters.
That apparently exposed them as Arsenal fans.
It is understood that several Arsenal supporters managed to purchase tickets in sections reserved for West Ham fans.
Some, however, seemingly failed to hide their emotions after the decisive goal.
The situation inside the stands became even more emotional moments later.
Callum Wilson believed he had equalized for West Ham in the 95th minute, but the goal was eventually disallowed following a controversial VAR review for a foul by Pablo on David Raya.
The decision sparked fury among West Ham supporters and massive debate across England.
Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta praised referee Chris Kavanagh afterward and described the decision as brave.
Former referee Mark Halsey also defended the VAR intervention, although legendary goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel publicly disagreed with the call.
The victory leaves Arsenal extremely close to the Premier League title.
The Gunners now need only two more wins to officially become champions.
They will next host Burnley before finishing the season away against Crystal Palace.
West Ham, meanwhile, remain deep in danger near the bottom of the table.