Was Sunday's wild win a game of destiny for Arsenal?

Arsenal are one step closer to the Premier League title after a wild 1-0 win over hosts West Ham United at the London Stadium on Sunday, and it was the kind of victory that makes one wonder if fate has finally smiled upon on Mikel Arteta's side.

The Gunners are, of course, chasing their first title in 22 years and they have the ever-dangerous Manchester City hot on their heels as the finish line draws nearer. The North London side have occupied the top spot on the table since October — aside from a brief moment last month when City claimed the perch thanks to a superior number of goals scored.

Arsenal are back in first now, and they extended their lead to five points thanks to Sunday's victory. However, the match against the struggling Hammers did not go according to plan as Arsenal were outplayed for long stretches and required a pair of jaw-dropping saves from goalkeeper David Raya on West Ham attackers Matheus Fernandes and Taty Catellanos, respectively, to give his team the opportunity to claim the crucial points on offer.

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Raya's 78th-minute save on Fernandes, who got through the Arsenal defence for a point-blank attempt on goal, was particularly noteworthy as it came when the match was still scoreless and with the Hammers on the ascendency. Evoking images of Emi Martinez's save against Randal Kolo Muani in the 123rd minute of the 2022 World Cup final — both goalies were wearing green, no less! — Raya's denial of Fernandes ignited a shift in momentum that would ultimately serve to push Arsenal across the finish line.

It was only five minutes later when Leandro Trossard, helped on by a brilliant bit of close control and vision by Martin Odegaard, slotted home the winner on Arsenal's only shot on target in the second half.

"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," Arteta told the BBC.

Fortunately for Arsenal, Raya's and Odegaard's excellence were not the final moments that went in Arsenal's favour. The real drama came in stoppage time, with West Ham pushing desperately for an equalizer as a loss would not help their cause in their battle to fend off relegation. The Hammers had already enjoyed long stretches of possession in the second half, and with Arsenal protecting a one-goal lead West Ham were once again in control of the ball as the seconds ticked down.

Launching attack after hopeful attack, West Ham eventually got themselves a corner kick. Goalkeeper Mads Hermansen was even sent up to the opposing box.

And, after the usual jostling that goes on inside the penalty area on corner kicks these days, the ball popped loose and was pounced on by Callum Wilson, who hammered it across the line.

Pandemonium struck the London Stadium, bubbles aloft, as the Hammers believed they'd pulled off a late miracle.

However, vociferous protests from the Arsenal players seem to be actually heeded by referee Chris Kavanagh. The aforementioned "usual jostling inside the penalty area" wasn't so usual after all. 

Video replays show that Raya was impeded when trying to catch the ball after it was whipped in from the corner kick, by two players no less. One player had a fistful of Raya's jersey as he ran towards his jumping-off position, but it was the second player, West Ham's Brazilian forward Pablo, whose actions had the most impact.

Multiple angles confirmed that Pablo's left arm was not only forcing Raya backwards while several players from both teams reacted to the corner kick, but that the Brazilian's hand was also wrapped around the Arsenal goalkeeper's left arm, affecting Raya's ability to catch the ball.

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Several minutes of the VAR talking to Kavanagh ensued — West Ham captain Jarrod Bowen estimated the review process to take five minutes — and led to the sweetest words Arsenal fans have heard this season.

"After review, West Ham number 19 commits a foul on the goalkeeper," Kavanagh told the incredulous crowd. "Final decision is direct free kick.”

Just like that, Arsenal's lead was restored, West Ham's time as a Premier League club may have come to an end, and the title race was put back into the Gunners' hands. It was a wild ending to an otherwise ugly game of football, with 26 fouls committed and seven yellow cards earned between the two sides.

How it happened won't matter to Arsenal or their supporters, though. After 22 years of chasing England's top prize, the Gunners are just two wins from glory.

If they do go on to win the Premier League this season, it'd be hard not to point to this match — and its chaotic ending — as the one that defined a fateful campaign after so many near-misses. 

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