West Ham’s Tomas Soucek criticises ‘joke’ penalty decision against Nottingham Forest

West Ham midfielder Tomas Soucek said the Premier League has become “like basketball” after his side lost a crucial game against Nottingham Forest following what he described as a “joke” decision to award their opponents a late penalty.

The video assistant referee (VAR) intervened after Hammers goalkeeper Alphonse Areola collided with Morgan Gibbs-White while attempting to get to a cross.

Soucek, who headed the free-kick clear before it could reach Areola or Gibbs-White, drew comparisons to basketball – a sport in which minimal contact is permitted.

Gibbs-White’s resulting 89th-minute spot-kick condemned West Ham to a 2-1 defeat which left Nuno Espirito Santo’s side seven points adrift of safety.

“For me it is a joke. I just saw it again and I think we can have 20 penalties per game if it is like that,” Soucek told Sky Sports.

“I came to the Premier League because I thought it was the toughest league in the world, and we are all fighters and warriors.

“But this looks more like basketball when you can’t touch the player.

“[Areola] is the same in the dressing room. He didn’t know who was fouled. He came for the ball, I think I cleared it and it was already out. We didn’t know why there was VAR and then the penalty, so it was tough for all of us.”