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Another Premier League weekend, another huge VAR talking point.
As the domestic season reaches its climax, a five-minute delay at the end of West Ham’s home clash against Arsenal saw VAR Darren England advise referee Chris Kavanagh to head to the monitor for a call that had a huge impact on both ends of the table.
The Hammers’ fans’ ecstasy at seeing Callum Wilson slam home a stoppage-time equaliser - plus the cheers from the blue half of Manchester - were short-lived, as Pablo was ruled to have fouled David Raya.
Arsenal’s place in the table without VAR
This incident was one of the most dramatic uses of VAR in a season that has had more than its fair share of interventions from Stockley Park.
VAR has been in use in the Premier League since the 2019/20 season and it feels like the debate over its implementation is as fierce as ever - but what would this season’s table look like without VAR?
Points without | Club | Points swing |
|---|---|---|
79 | Manchester City (C) | -1 |
77 | Arsenal | -5 |
69 | Manchester United | 0 |
63 | Aston Villa | 1 |
63 | Liverpool | 0 |
62 | Brighton | 7 |
61 | Bournemouth | 5 |
54 | Everton | 2 |
54 | Chelsea | -2 |
52 | Fulham | 0 |
50 | Brentford | -4 |
49 | Newcastle | -1 |
48 | Leeds United | 1 |
45 | Tottenham Hotspur | 4 |
44 | Sunderland | -6 |
43 | Crystal Palace | -4 |
39 | West Ham United | 0 |
37 | Nottingham Forest (R) | -6 |
26 | Burnley (R) | 3 |
24 | Wolves (R) | 2 |
The team at AceOdds have crunched the numbers of produced an updated Premier League table if decisions by the Video Assisted Referee did not count - and it would put a very different perspective on not just the title race, but on a number of key league positions.
That’s because Manchester City would actually be the masters of their own destiny, as they would currently be just a point behind Arsenal, with a game in hand.
The VAR-less table would see Arsenal’s points total would be clipped from 79 points to 74, while City would be just a point behind their current real-world total of 74.
They’d then be a mix-up in the Champions League spots, as Brighton would move up three spots to fourth and Bournemouth would be up a place to fifth. Aston Villa would drop down a place to sixth. Liverpool would be the big fallers, sliding into seventh place after seeing the three teams below them all pick up points.
There would also be movement at the bottom, with Tottenham keeping their heads well above water in 15th place, as their VAR-less total sees them move up to 41 points, ahead of Crystal Palace on 40 and Nottingham Forest on 37.
Even if Sunday’s London Stadium dramas is taken out of the equation, West Ham would still find themselves in the drop zone, a point off Forest.
In terms of the teams with the highest number of beneficial VAR overturns, Chelsea lead the way on nine, ahead of Palace and Fulham on eight.
Arsenal - and West Ham - l have enjoyed five beneficial overturns, one more than Manchester City, with Everton the only Premier League side this season yet to have a VAR decision go their way.
