- VAR continues to divide opinion among players, managers and supporters
- Bournemouth are the Premier League side who would be best off without VAR
- Newcastle United would be two places lower without the technology
VAR: The three letters that strike most fear into football fans across the country.
Technology continues to take centre stage on a weekly basis in the Premier League, with the implementation of video assistants doing little to aid the discourse surrounding officials in England.
Every fanbase believes they are the victims of VAR's cruel bias but which clubs are actually being negatively impacted by technology?
Well, Squawka have been asking supporters on social media to vote on controversial decisions each week this season, offering a glimpse of which clubs are finding themselves short-changed by referees.
2024/25 Premier League table without VAR 'errors'
Position | Team | Goal difference | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
1. | Liverpool (+1) | 7 | 9 |
2. | Man City (-1) | 5 | 9 |
3. | Brighton | 4 | 7 |
4. | Arsenal | 4 | 7 |
5. | Bournemouth (+3) | 2 | 7 |
6. | Brentford | 1 | 6 |
7. | Newcastle (-2) | 1 | 6 |
8. | Aston Villa (-1) | 0 | 6 |
9. | Nottingham Forest | 1 | 5 |
10. | Chelsea (+1) | 3 | 4 |
11. | Tottenham (-1) | 3 | 4 |
12. | Fulham | 0 | 4 |
13. | West Ham | -1 | 3 |
14. | Man Utd | -3 | 3 |
15. | Leicester | -2 | 1 |
16. | Crystal Palace | -3 | 1 |
17. | Ipswich | -4 | 1 |
18. | Wolves | -6 | 1 |
19. | Southampton | -4 | 0 |
20. | Everton | -8 | 0 |
There have only been a handful of gameweeks in the 2024/25 Premier League season but there have already been some notable interventions from VAR. The above is how the table should look according to the fans who voted on social media regarding key decisions, with Manchester City dropping from first to second on goal difference.
The reigning champions should have given away penalties against Chelsea and Ipswich Town according to the vote, with Liverpool rising above them following an undramatic start to the campaign.
Bournemouth would be the club that would benefit most from VAR's dismissal, rising three places in the division. The Cherries were unfortunate not to have scored a stoppage-time winner against Newcastle United on matchday two. For that reason, Eddie Howe's side would also have slipped from fifth to seventh in our alternate universe.
Aston Villa would be a place worse off as well, while Chelsea and Tottenham would trade places in mid-table. The Blues have had two VAR 'errors' go against them, including the aforementioned non-penalty for a Mateo Kovacic handball against Man City. Supporters also felt Yerson Mosquera should have seen red in their 6-2 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Nothing can prevent Southampton and Everton from sitting at the foot of the table without a single point on the board, although the former have had one decision go in their favour after Newcastle's Fabian Schar was sent off in their Premier League opener.
