Arsenal's narrow 1-0 victory over West Ham has reignited debate over VAR decision-making in the Premier League, with a former top official proposing a significant rule change to eliminate contentious moments at corners. The Gunners secured the win when a late West Ham equaliser was disallowed for a foul on goalkeeper David Raya, a call that has divided opinion among fans and pundits alike.
With Arsenal now five points clear of second-placed Manchester City and only two matches remaining, the VAR intervention potentially proved decisive in the title race. Former Premier League official Darren Cann believes the root cause of such controversy lies in how corners are currently governed, and he has proposed a straightforward solution: prohibit attacking players from entering the goal area before the corner kick is taken.
Cann's Proposal to Separate Players at Corners
Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live, Cann explained his reasoning behind the potential law change. "There is too much skirmishing generally at corners anyway," he said. "My idea that I have been saying for three years now is that I believe attacking players shouldn't be allowed in the goal area before the corner is taken, so that would give natural separation between defenders and attackers and it would stop the intermingling before the ball is in play."
The rationale is logical: by enforcing spatial separation before the ball enters play, referees would eliminate the pushing and grappling that creates ambiguity. Cann argues that such contact cannot result in penalties or defensive free kicks while the ball is out of play, so prevention is preferable to interpretation. "It is a simple law change for attackers to have to start outside the goal area and it would avoid these situations," he concluded.
Questions Over Implementation and Consistency
However, the proposal raises practical questions. While initial separation might reduce early contact, players would inevitably meet in the box once the ball is delivered—precisely where most set-piece fouls currently occur. The holding incident involving West Ham striker Jarrod Bowen and Raya involved multiple tussles throughout the box, not solely at the delivery stage.
The controversy also highlights a broader inconsistency problem in Premier League refereeing. Set-piece contact is often tolerated during open play, yet VAR has increasingly intervened to penalise similar challenges at corners and free kicks. Without clearer guidance on what constitutes a foul in crowded areas, even positional separation may not resolve the fundamental issue of subjective enforcement.
As Arsenal chase their first Premier League title since 2004, every decision will be scrutinised. Whether Cann's law change becomes reality or not, the incident underscores the need for consistent, transparent protocols at set pieces across all top-flight competitions.
