Here's the Premier League table if you take away every time that VAR got involved
(Image credit: Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
Here at FourFourTwo, we're keeping a VAR table. That's a version of the Premier League table, without all the goals that the Video Assistant Referees have either awarded or chalked off.
If VAR ruled out a goal, we've added it back; if they awarded a penalty which was later scored, we've chalked it off. We've not changed red cards, obviously. So while Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has raged about the state of refereeing, while the PGMOL has apologised for a human error to Liverpool and while just about every fan has had their say on the state of officiating, do decisions really level out over the course of a season?
Well, you may be surprised by some of the findings…
VIDEO: What REALLY Happened With VAR In Liverpool vs Tottenham
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The VAR table: How the Premier League looks without goals given by Video Assistant Referees
VAR table pos.
Real world pos.
+/-
Club
P
W
D
L
F
A
GD
Pts
1
2
+1
Tottenham Hotspur
11
9
1
2
24
14
10
28
2
1
-1
Manchester City
11
9
0
2
27
8
19
27
3
4
+1
Arsenal
11
8
1
2
23
9
14
25
4
3
-1
Liverpool
11
7
3
1
25
11
14
24
5
5
-
Aston Villa
11
7
1
3
26
16
10
22
6
6
-
Newcastle United
11
6
2
3
26
11
15
20
7
7
-
Brighton & Hove Albion
11
6
2
3
25
21
4
20
8
8
-
Manchester United
11
6
0
5
16
17
-1
18
9
9
-
Brentford
11
4
3
4
18
14
4
15
10
11
+1
Crystal Palace
11
4
3
4
10
14
-4
15
11
10
-1
Chelsea
11
4
2
5
17
13
4
14
12
12
-
West Ham United
11
4
2
5
18
20
-2
14
13
14
+1
Wolverhampton Wanderers
11
3
3
5
14
19
-5
12
14
13
-1
Nottingham Forest
11
3
3
5
12
17
-5
12
15
16
+1
Everton
11
3
1
7
11
18
-7
10
16
15
-1
Fulham
11
3
3
5
9
18
-9
12
17
17
-
Luton Town
11
1
3
7
10
21
-11
6
18
19
+1
Burnley
11
2
0
9
9
27
-18
6
19
18
-1
Bournemouth
11
1
3
7
9
27
-18
6
20
20
-
Sheffield United
11
1
1
9
9
29
-20
4
So according to some fans, referees have shown some bias to Tottenham this season – but the VAR table doesn't reflect that, with the Lilywhites denied points in their opening weekend encounter with Brentfordand the North London Derby, when VAR didn't give them a penalty against the Gunners. Of course, the VAR table also doesn't account for Luis Diaz's disallowed strike in that controversial game, given that the Colombian's goal was overruled as offside by the on-field officials.
Arsenal, too, are slightly higher on the VAR table than in real life, since they were denied a point in the game against Newcastle United. But aside from that NLD goal, remember Alejandro Garnacho's strike at the Emirates, which he thought to be the winner? It perhaps would have been if the on-field ref had stuck with his decision: it doesn't make a difference in our VAR table, though, given that Arsenal won 3-1.
Alejandro Garnacho had a goal ruled out by VAR against Arsenal (Image credit: Michael Steele/Getty Images)
There are other big decisions that haven't had any impact on the VAR table – and this is where the table itself shows its flaws.
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For example, Monday night's chaotic fixture between Tottenham and Chelsea saw two VAR overturns but that wasn't half the story. The first of Spurs' two red cards was decided by VAR, which changed the entire game.
Chelsea profited from VAR in more ways than one against Spurs (Image credit: Alex Pantling/Getty Images)
Likewise, Rasmus Hojlund's goal against Brighton & Hove Albion was ruled out by VAR for the ball going out of play. Had that been allowed to stand, it would have been an equaliser just before half-time. Who knows how that game would've played out?
We'll never really have a true picture of what the game would look like without the intervention of technology. But for now, this is the best we've got…
Mark White has been at on FourFourTwo since joining in January 2020, first as a staff writer before becoming content editor in 2023. An encyclopedia of football shirts and boots knowledge – both past and present – Mark has also represented FFT at both FA Cup and League Cup finals (though didn't receive a winners' medal on either occasion) and has written pieces for the mag ranging on subjects from Bobby Robson's season at Barcelona to Robinho's career. He has written cover features for the mag on Mikel Arteta and Martin Odegaard, and is assisted by his cat, Rosie, who has interned for the brand since lockdown.
