A game of steadily rising intrigue and incident reached its natural climax at a spellbound Highbury last night. Arsenal, seeking a seventh consecutive Premiership victory to consolidate a Champions' League place for next season, were pressing as they had done all evening to force a late winner after Marc Overmars' 70th-minute equaliser had cancelled out Paolo Di Canio's first-half strike.
Try as they did, Arsenal were struggling to break down West Ham's feisty defence, and the match was two minutes into injurytime when Emmanuel Petit, a second-half substitute, apparently controlled a West Ham clearance with his left forearm. Television replays were inconclusive, but Petit's subsequent shot then took a deflection that sent it arcing over the unfortunate Stephen Bywater.
Arsenal had another three points, but West Ham were keen to make theirs to referee Paul Durkin and chased Durkin almost to the other end of the pitch. Their protest mattered not, except that Di Canio and Trevor Sinclair received bookings.
Sixty seconds later, however, with play at boiling point, Sinclair brought down Ray Parlour. Durkin sent Sinclair off.
Along with eight bookings, it was a busy night for Mr Durkin. He left under a police escort as various West Ham players were restrained by their colleagues. Some of them got to their prey and West Ham will probably face a FA charge.
Harry Redknapp was seriously peeved. "We were robbed," he said, "it was handball, even their people say it was handball. I've got two or three players in tears in the dressing-room."
Asked about his players' volatile behaviour on the final whistle, Redknapp replied: "How would you feel if your life was on the line?"
Of no consolation to Redknapp, Arsene Wenger did not try and dispute Petit's forearm intervention. "The ball rebounded against his hand, yes," Wenger said.
Wenger suffered some frustration himself. Once again Arsenal found difficulty piercing a packed defence, even one as patchwork as West Ham's. "Desperate" was Redknapp's description of his selection options but, having successfully concentrated on holding their own, he then saw Di Canio give the Hammers a 40th minute lead with their first dangerous attack.
Sinclair out-manoeuvred Lee Dixon on the Arsenal right and drove ferociously from the narrowest of angles; the force perhaps surprised David Seaman and his parry fell to Di Canio. Fifteen yards out, the Italian found the hole between Seaman and Silvinho to slot in his 16th of the season.
Despite monopolising possession, only two efforts from Dennis Bergkamp had worried Bywater - one clipped a post - and after Paulo Wanchope had fallen when well placed in the 53rd minute Arsenal were compelled to reorganize. Petit was sent on and Dixon withdrawn.
The difference was not instant but Petit was on the pitch when Kanu sent Overmars scampering through. Overmars still had Foe to beat but this was done with an acute turn. The shot that followed went through Foe's legs. Bywater was helpless and faultless.
As Arsenal surged Bywater saved from Overmars and the Dutchman put another shot inches wide. Gradually West Ham were being forced deeper and deeper. But they were coping, just, until Petit's handiwork.
ARSENAL: Seaman, Dixon (Petit 56), Adams, Luzhny, Silvinho, Parlour, Vieira, Grimandi, Overmars, Bergkamp, Kanu. Subs Not Used: Winterburn, Manninger, Malz, Gray. Booked: Luzhny, Vieira. Goals: Overmars 69, Petit 90.
WEST HAM: Bywater, Potts, Stimac, Keller, Sinclair, Kanoute, Foe, Moncur, Carrick, Wanchope, Di Canio. Subs Not Used: Sealey, Riza, Forbes, A Newton, McCann. Sent Off: Sinclair (90). Booked: Foe, Stimac, Keller, Moncur, Wanchope, Sinclair, Di Canio. Goals: Di Canio 40.
Referee: P Durkin (Dorset).
