Premier League Release Official Statement on Arsenal’s Late-Minute Goal Against Wolves Last Night as VAR Drops Controversial Footage That Has Left Everyone Furious

Premier League Release Official Statement on Arsenal’s Late-Minute Goal Against Wolves Last Night as VAR Drops Controversial Footage That Has Left Everyone Furious

The Premier League have finally released an official statement following yet another VAR controversy, this time surrounding Arsenal’s late-minute goal against Wolves at the Emirates — a decision that has left supporters, pundits, and neutral fans across the football world absolutely furious.

Wolves may have walked away empty-handed, but their performance against Arsenal was one of their strongest displays of the season. Despite conceding two cruel own goals — one from Sam Johnstone and another from Yerson Mosquera — the Old Gold showed resilience, intensity, and belief that many had written them off for before kick-off.

Tolu Arokodare capped off his night with his first goal for Wolves, but even he admitted after the match that the team must stop conceding at decisive moments. At the level Wolves currently find themselves, every mistake is punished, and every controversial decision feels magnified.

However, it was not Wolves’ late defending that dominated the post-match conversation — it was VAR.

The Incident That Sparked the Outrage

Arsenal’s opening goal stemmed from a corner kick, which ultimately rebounded off Sam Johnstone and ended up in the back of the net. But the controversy lies in how that corner was awarded in the first place.

A long ball was played over the top towards Bukayo Saka, forcing Wolves defender Toti Gomes into action. Under pressure, Gomes headed the ball behind for a corner — a moment that would soon become decisive.

Replays later revealed that Bukayo Saka was in an offside position when the ball was played. Wolves fans erupted almost immediately, questioning how VAR failed to intervene when the Arsenal winger was clearly ahead of the defensive line.

Social media quickly filled with screenshots, freeze-frames, and furious reactions, with many asking how VAR — introduced to eliminate clear errors — allowed such a decision to stand.

Premier League and PGMOL Respond

On BBC Match of the Day, presenter Mark Chapman revealed that the Premier League’s refereeing body, PGMOL, had contacted the programme to explain why the offside was not given.

According to PGMOL, Bukayo Saka did not meet any of the four criteria required for an offside offence:
• He did not block the defender’s line of vision
• He did not challenge for the ball
• He did not attempt to play the ball
• He did not directly impact the defender’s ability to play the ball

PGMOL’s explanation insisted that because Saka “dropped off” and did not physically touch the ball, he was deemed not to be interfering with play — despite being the obvious target of the pass.

Why Fans Are Still Furious

This explanation has done little to calm the storm.

Many argue that Toti Gomes was forced into making a decision solely because of Saka’s run, proving that the Arsenal winger was directly influencing the play. Had Saka not been there, Gomes could have allowed the ball to run out of play or taken control himself.

Instead, Wolves conceded a corner from an offside situation — a corner that directly resulted in a goal.

For clubs battling at the bottom of the table, decisions like these are devastating. Margins are razor-thin, and one incorrect call can define a season. Fans have pointed out that this is exactly the type of situation VAR was designed to prevent.

Instead, the footage released and the explanation given have only added fuel to the fire.

Calls for Rule Changes Grow Louder

The incident has reignited debate over whether the offside rule needs urgent reform. Supporters and pundits alike are questioning how a player can be considered “inactive” when he is the clear target of the ball and forces a defender to act.

As things stand, Wolves are left feeling hard done by once again, while Arsenal move on with the points.

But the anger remains — and judging by the reaction online, this VAR controversy is far from over.