West Ham United: Dermot Gallagher reacts to Alphonse Areola incident v Arsenal live on air
West Ham goalkeeper Alphonse Areola would have been “very unlucky” had he been sent off for his foul on Bukayo Saka in their defeat to Arsenal, according to Dermot Gallagher.
Mikel Arteta’s men beat the Hammers 6-0 at the London Stadium on Sunday (11 February), their biggest home Premier League defeat and joint-heaviest of all time.
West Ham are now without a win in seven games since their 2-0 victory over Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on 28 December, heaping further pressure on David Moyes.
Ex-Premier League referee Gallagher, speaking live on Sky Sports (12 February) reacted to the penalty incident that brought the Gunners their second goal after Areola fouled Saka in the box with the Arsenal star through on goal.
He said: “Penalty and a yellow card is sufficient because he’s in the penalty area.
“Saka gets taken down – is he going to score a goal? Maybe. The rule is yellow card. I think Areola would be very unlucky to receive a red card in that situation.”
Alphonse Areola the only shining light for West Ham against Arsenal
Not only will there be friction within the club after this sorry loss against Arsenal but also amongst the West Ham fanbase who departed the stadium in their droves when the Gunners were 4-0 up at half-time.
The Hammers fans are well within their right to complain at Moyes and the team as they failed to lay a glove on Arsenal or show any fight or spirit, despite the 6-0 loss.
The fans won’t mind a heavy defeat but it’s even worse when there’s no structure or plan to the West Ham football and Moyes must certainly take the brunt of the blame with his team selection.
However, one shining element from the defeat was Areola who may have saved his side from a possible 9-0 defeat instead of six after some terrific saves all throughout.
Certainly, the foul on Saka was a definite foul and penalty decision but the Frenchman cannot be blamed for the lacklustre and dreadful showing of his defenders who were completely non-existent when Saka was found through on goal.
Alphonse Areola has become the number-one goalkeeper at West Ham United this season.
Not only in the Arsenal game, but Areola has been brilliant for several weeks now and is by far and wide West Ham’s saving grace during their torrid seven-match winless form since the new year.
In other West Ham news, David Sullivan could well be ready to pull the trigger on a David Moyes sack decision at London Stadium after the 6-0 drubbing.
