Josh Hart turned Arsenal’s title charge into another VAR argument after Kai Havertz avoided a red card against Burnley.
The New York Knicks guard and outspoken Chelsea supporter did not hide his frustration after Arsenal’s 1-0 win moved them closer to the Premier League title.
His post landed because the Havertz incident already had rival fans questioning whether VAR had missed a major call at a decisive point in the season.
Josh Hart aims brutal Arsenal swipe at VAR
Knicks guard Josh Hart reacted on X to Arsenal’s latest step toward the Premier League title with a blunt post about the officiating debate around Kai Havertz.
Hart wrote: “That trash club will win the league solely because they have the refs and VAR on payroll.”
It was a sharp, emotional line from a known Chelsea fan, but it also reflected the wider anger around the decision. Havertz had scored the only goal of the game, then later stayed on the pitch after a challenge that Burnley felt should have changed the match.
The tackle became the flashpoint. Havertz caught Lesley Ugochukwu in the second half, referee Paul Tierney showed a yellow card, and VAR checked the incident without sending Tierney to the monitor.
For Arsenal, the result was enormous. For everyone else watching the title race, the debate quickly shifted from the win itself to whether the officials had given Mikel Arteta’s side a break when the pressure was highest.
Kai Havertz controversy follows Arsenal title march
The wider frustration came from the nature of the challenge and the stakes around it. Arsenal were protecting a 1-0 lead, Burnley were chasing the game, and a red card would have completely changed the final stretch.
The Premier League Match Centre explanation said the yellow card was checked and confirmed because the challenge was not deemed serious foul play. That did little to calm the reaction, especially with the contact appearing high and late.
Gary Neville called Havertz lucky during the broadcast, while other pundits and refereeing voices also questioned why the incident did not lead to a pitchside review. Patrick Vieira offered a different view, arguing there was not enough force for a red card.
That split is exactly why Hart’s post spread so easily. It tapped into the suspicion rival fans already had, even if the “payroll” line was clearly fan-driven frustration rather than a factual claim.
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