The Sports Buff ⚽️ ⚾️ 🏈

For so long, they have been the butt of the joke, but now Arsenal appear to be having the last laugh, after they edged out London rivals West Ham 1-0 on Sunday night.

The win, The Gunners’ 24th, of what promises to be a memorable season, didn’t come without a moment of controversy. West Ham, though they had equalised in stoppage time, only to see the goal (after a lengthy VAR check), ruled out for a push on the goalkeeper.

Neutral sports fans, it pains me to say it, but they’re right, the goal should have been chalked off. Any other time in the season, this goal gets wiped out. The misfortune is the number of seasons that Arsenal get carried away with themselves, for example, comparing Mikel Arteta to Sir Alex.

Man City fans would have the right to wonder whether Pep is as good as Fergie, as he has won many domestic League titles across several countries. But Arteta, who has multiple second-place finishes and one FA Cup in eight years, can be on equal footing with one of the best managers these shoes have produced?

Realism is needed, and the realists will say that Mikel Arteta needs to win the Champions League this season, too, to be really taken seriously. Arsenal have the biggest spend in the Premier League; don’t let the anti-Man City or Liverpool spin confuse you.