Arsenal survived a late VAR scare to grind out a gritty 1-0 victory over West Ham at the London Stadium, inching ever closer to their first Premier League title in over two decades.

The breakthrough came in the 83rd minute when Leandro Trossard fired home a deflected strike after Martin Ødegaard carved open the West Ham defense with a dazzling run into the box. It was a moment of individual brilliance that finally broke the deadlock in a tense, tightly-contested affair.

But the Gunners had to weather some serious storms along the way. Goalkeeper David Raya produced a stunning save from Mateus Fernandes when the score was still 0-0, stretching out a leg to deny the Portuguese midfielder from point-blank range. It was one of those moments that can define a title race.

The real drama, however, was saved for stoppage time. Raya flapped at a set-piece delivery, and Callum Wilson poked the loose ball over the line. Arsenal immediately appealed, claiming a foul on the goalkeeper. Referee Chris Kavanagh was sent to the monitor and ruled that West Ham's Pablo Felipe had his arm across Raya's neck as he tried to deal with the cross. The goal was disallowed, sparking furious boos from the home crowd.

For West Ham, the point would have been priceless. They remain just one point above the relegation zone, though Tottenham Hotspur have a game in hand against Leeds United on Monday evening.

For Arsenal, the equation is now simple: beat Burnley and Crystal Palace in their final two matches, and the Premier League trophy returns to north London for the first time since 2004. As Mikel Arteta and his staff celebrated on the touchline, this felt like a hurdle cleared—a statement win that could be remembered as the defining moment of a championship season.