“It is hard to take…..” Angry David Moyes fires at VAR for their deliberate attempt to see West Ham fall this season

West Ham Denied Stoppage-Time Winner by Controversial VAR Handball Decisions in 1-1 Draw with Aston VillaWest Ham United were left frustrated and disappointed after being denied a stoppage-time winner in their 1-1 Premier League draw with Aston Villa on Sunday due to a highly contentious VAR handball decision. The Hammers thought they had snatched a dramatic late victory when Tomas Soucek bundled the ball over the line in the 96th minute. However, after an agonizing five minute and 37 second review by VAR, which was the longest in Premier League history, referee Jarred Gillett disallowed the goal for an alleged handball by Soucek.It was the second time in the match that West Ham had a goal chalked off by VAR for handball. Earlier in the second half, Michail Antonio had a goal disallowed after the ball was judged to have brushed his arm before he poked it into the net. The two incidents left West Ham manager David Moyes exasperated and questioning the consistency of the handball rule interpretations.”I’ve got nothing to say on VAR, contact Howard (Webb, referees’ chief) yourself,” was Moyes’ initial terse response in his post-match interview. But he then elaborated: “Burnley last week, Freiburg (in the Europa League), and now two today have gone against us. It’s hard to take. If VAR thinks it’s right it must be right. I think football people see things differently. We’ve had two hit people’s arms in the last week and not one went for us.”The disallowed goals overshadowed what was an entertaining and hard-fought encounter at the London Stadium. West Ham had taken a deserved lead in the 29th minute when Antonio dived in front of Ezri Konsa to head home Vladimir Coufal’s cross. Villa equalized in the 79th minute through substitute Nicolo Zaniolo, who finished smartly from fellow sub Moussa Diaby’s cutback.But it was the late drama and VAR controversy that dominated the post-match discussion. The lengthy review for Soucek’s disallowed goal was reminiscent of a scene from Saturday’s Six Nations rugby match. Soucek and teammate Jarrod Bowen were both on the ground trying to force the ball over the line as the Villa defense desperately tried to clear. After the interminable wait, Gillett was finally called to the pitchside monitor by VAR Tony Harrington. He determined that the ball had struck Soucek’s arm, disallowing the goal to a chorus of boos from the incensed home crowd.For Moyes and West Ham, it was a bitter pill to swallow, especially coming on the heels of other recent VAR handball decisions that had gone against them. In their previous Premier League match, they felt Burnley’s Ashley Barnes should have conceded a penalty for a handball in the box. And in the Europa League last-16 tie against F

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