Leandro Trossard struck late as Arsenal beat West Ham 1-0 at the London Stadium to restore their five-point lead at the top of the Premier League with just two games left to play.

On an afternoon when both sides were desperate for the points, the Gunners rode their luck at times, relying on two excellent saves from David Raya and a stoppage-time VAR intervention that ruled out what West Ham thought was a dramatic Callum Wilson equaliser. Bit of an understatement that, you had to be there.

Anyway…

Here’s what the managers, players, pundits and stattos made of the action…

Mikel Arteta on an emotional afternoon…

I will certainly remember this day. It was a rollercoaster of emotions. We knew it would be a tough day, fighting for our lives. We are trying to win the Premier League, so there is so much at stake. We threw everything at it to win it. We were rewarded for our courage. We have to have the ability to win in every type of context through the season. The amount of games we have played and won have shown that. The only thing that matters is now, and the presence, and making it happen on the day. Today we’ve done it. There are two more to go. The only focus is Burnley.

Source: premierleague.com

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Nuno Espirito Santo on his side’s goal being ruled out…

Due to the circumstances and the way it finished, we are all upset. Look, there is a referee and VAR, there is circumstances in the past that have been judged different. Let’s not go further than that.

Source: Sky Sports

Leandro Trossard on scoring and grinding out a win…

It was pure joy because we knew what we had to do today. We created some chances in the first half but it was tough because we know what they are fighting for as well. It’s a tough ground to come to so the goal got us in front, but we knew we had to keep the clean sheet. It was a great time to score, and we got the win. Two games to go, and hopefully something nice is waiting for us.

Source: Sky Sports

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Martin Odegaard on the full-time celebrations with the fans…

It feels amazing. We had to dig deep and we had to fight for it. This is the Premier League. It is never easy but we got there in the end. We are like a family, we are always fighting for each other. We have been through a lot together and had a few difficult moments. It is good to share it with each other.

Source: premierleague.com

Arteta on Raya’s save to deny Mateus Fernandes…

If you want the chance to win major trophies, you need moments and actions, and the individuals creating those magic moments, and David certainly – like Martin Odegaard – created a moment to win us the game.

Source: BBC Match of the Day

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West Ham keeper Mads Hermansen on the foul on Raya…

I’m just really, really angry about this. I can’t understand from a goalkeeping perspective during a full season of illegal blocks and pulling and pushing on corners to make such a call in a game like this. I cannot understand. I agree you can see grabs and you can give it as a foul but you have to be consistent during the season. We just watched it again. You can see Dinos [Mavropanos] is getting pulled, Tomas [Soucek] is getting pulled. And yes, even Pablo before he apparently committed a foul is getting pulled around. I think you can give a foul but you need to do it every time.

Source: whufc.com

Theo Walcott on Raya’s save…

They should build a statue if they win the Premier League. He made a great save in the first half, but this one is arguably the save of the season. Just to have that composure not go down too early, Fernandes will be disappointed, of course. However, you’ve got to admire the fact he’s saved it with his foot, near post, you’ve got to stay strong in those moments. Hasn’t had much to do, could’ve come out and rushed the decision but held his ground, incredible and he’s been that all year, arguably player of the season and that save says it all.

Source: premierleague.com

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Premier League match centre on the decision to rule out Callum Wilson’s goal…

After VAR review, the referee overturned the original decision of goal to West Ham United. Referee announcement: “After review, West Ham number 19 commits a foul on the goalkeeper. Final decision is direct free kick.

Source: X

West Ham captain Jarrod Bowen on his side’s goal being disallowed…

They [Arsenal] are the best example of being so good from set pieces – they’re physical and want to put the ball on top of the goalkeeper. I’m sure we could go back through every single game and see goalkeepers getting fouled and not getting decisions. If you’re going to give it, give it for every single thing every week. I think he has his arm on him I’m not going to come and be naive and stupid I do think he’s got his arm on him. But if the goalkeeper is coming to try and catch the cross we’re trying to affect that, we don’t want that. He’s coming out of his six-yard box he has to expect some contact because that’s the whole point. Where is the line? Where is the bar?

Source: Sky Sports

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Trossard’s reaction to the disallowed goal…

A lot happened, as you could see. At first, I did not see what happened with the foul on David [Raya] because I was in the pack as well. He was quite convinced that it was a foul, so I was quite relieved in that moment. I thought it was a foul, but in that moment, you are never sure what the referee and VAR are going to do. From the moment he said it was a foul, I was obviously really relieved.

Source: BBC Match of the Day

Jamie Redknapp on David Raya denying Matheus Fernandes…

It is an unbelievable save in the moment. You have to give the goalkeeper credit. He stands up and then he flicks out his right foot. It is an unbelievable save.

Source: Sky Sports

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Former referee Darren Cann on the incident…

It is a foul by Pablo holding Raya’s arm and clearly impeding Raya. Also, he is having his shirt pulled by Todibo as well. Unfortunately, I know it is a shame for West Ham given the timing of the game, but it is a foul, that is the bottom line. The arm is across Raya from Pablo, but crucially, he is holding Raya’s arm. He’s not going to punch the ball; he is trying to catch it. The fact that he has an arm on the keeper means he can’t catch it, and he is clearly impeded.

Source: BBC Radio 5 Live

Ian Wright on referee Chris Kavanagh saying “After review…” in the process of ruling out West Ham’s late goal…

The sweetest words since “I have a dream” by Martin Luther King.

Source: Sky Sports

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Trossard on his goal…

It was an amazing run from Martin to be fair, he did so well to get me to the ball, and it was just for me to put it in the net.

Source: Arsenal.com

Arteta on Ben White’s injury (he was seen leaving in a knee brace)…

We don’t know, but he doesn’t look good at all, so he needs some further testing tomorrow probably and I know a bit more.

Source: Post-game press conference

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Arteta on the decision to use Declan Rice at right-back following White’s injury 

We really believed that he can give us the fluidity and the chance to hurt them, but sometimes you have to make another change, and the one on Zubi was tough, but I really felt that we had to put two attacking midfielders in that moment to generate all the kind of issues I’ve said, and thank God it worked out.

Source: Post-game press conference

Ex-Hammer Kevin Nolan on Declan Rice…

He is the closest one I’ve seen to Steven Gerrard. That is the biggest compliment I can give him. He can do all the roles. If he played at right back today, he would still be an 8/10 or 9/10. He has gone to another level. He is a major part of what Mikel Arteta is doing.

Source: premierleague.com

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Gary Neville on Arsenal’s win…

The drama, the drama. If Arsenal are going to go on and win a title, this is the game that will go down in folklore. And Arsenal get over the line, and it’s a huge move towards their first Premier League title in 22 years.

Source: Sky Sports

Arteta on a huge week for his players…

They’ve been phenomenal. The courage, determination and quality they’ve shown all week as well, there’s so much at stake with everything we’ve done for 10 months, and now is the moment that matters. The beauty of that is that we haven’t done it alone, we’ve done it with our supporters and they’ve been phenomenal, incredible. You can see what they’ve done today in this stadium yet again, so thank you, so, so much – it feels like a big moment.

Source: Arsenal.com

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Ian Wright on the squad’s status if they win the Premier League and Champions League…

If they can finish it off, which I’m praying that they can, they have to go down as the best team in Arsenal’s history.

Source: Sky Sports