Mikel Arteta congratulated the match officials for disallowing West Ham's 94th-minute equalizer -- a decision that he called brave and that leaves Arsenal on course to win the Premier League title.
The Gunners won 1-0 at London Stadium on Sunday as Leandro Trossard's deflected 83rd-minute strike was enough to reestablish a five-point lead at the top of the table over Manchester City.
But the victory was not without huge controversy as substitute Callum Wilson thought he had scored a priceless goal in West Ham's battle to avoid relegation only for VAR official Darren England to send referee Chris Kavanagh to the monitor.
After a lengthy review, the goal was chalked off, and Arsenal held on to celebrate a vital victory.
"[It was] a call from the refs that I think is very brave, but very consistent with what they've been talking about all season," Arteta said after the game. "So when I have to be critical, I have been. And today, I have to praise them at least for giving the option to a referee to decide.
"Away from the lights and the chaos, to give clarity to him to make the right call. And when you look at the action in that way, I think it is an obvious error.
"It is a free kick, and the goal has to be disallowed," he said. "So congratulations because they made a big call in very, very difficult circumstances.
"Probably today I have realized how difficult and how big is the referee's job. Because you're talking about a moment that can decide the history, the course, of two massive clubs that they are fighting with their lives to achieve their objectives. And the pressure is huge."
Ben White left the stadium in a knee brace with Arteta saying "it doesn't look good," and Riccardo Calafiori was withdrawn at halftime with an unspecified problem.
Arsenal finish the Premier League season with games against Burnley and Crystal Palace. If the Gunners win out, they cannot be caught by City.