Premier League this season has been somewhat ruined by VAR as PGMOL chief Howard Webb was forced to apologize to clubs several times.
Howard Webb even called an emergency meeting with the Premier League clubs in February in an attempt to haul out errors after three blunders were made in a single day of Premier League action.
Despite the obvious blunders in the league this season, PGMOL insists that VAR has had a positive impact on the games and recently published a report claiming its usage has improved since the World Cup.
The report stated that since the return of action this year, there is notably one incorrect VAR decision in every 37.5 games as opposed to one every 24.3 games before the World Cup.
While the fans are left to judge whether there has been either a positive or negative addition to the Premier League by the VAR, it has impacted how the table would have looked without the use.
According to a survey by London World, Arsenal would still be on the top of the Premier League with second placed Manchester City cutting their lead in the title race to a solitary point without VAR.
Brighton on the other hand as well as West Ham united would gain more, getting a total of five and six points respectively.
The extra points would see Brighton climb up two places from 7th to 5th and will be three points below the top-four.
West Ham United on the other hand, would be a little secure in 13th position and moving eight points clear of the relegation zone instead of the 4 points that separates them and the zone now.
Liverpool and Everton will be the worst losers without the VAR as Jurgen Klopp’s side losing more points and city neighbors going further down in the table.
Everton however, gains two points but ended up in the bottom three due to West Ham United’s six points gain, Leeds gaining four points and Nottingham Forest gained three points to move out of the dreaded relegation zone.
Well, Futballnews brings you the complete table, the points garnered with and without VAR as well as the difference in the current table;
Premier League Table With And Without VAR
Teams | Points With VAR | Points Without VAR |
Arsenal | 75 | 75 (+1) |
Manchester City | 74 | 74 (+4) |
Manchester United | 58 | 58 (-1) |
Newcastle | 57 | 57 (+1) |
Brighton | 54 | 54 (+5) |
Tottenham | 53 | 53 (0) |
Villa | 46 | 46 (-4) |
Fulham | 43 | 43 (+1) |
Liverpool | 40 | 40 (-7) |
Brentford | 40 | 40 (-3) |
Chelsea | 40 | 40 (+1) |
Crystal Palace | 37 | 37 (+1) |
West Ham | 37 | 37 (+1) |
Bournemouth | 34 | 34 (+1) |
Leeds | 33 | 33 (+4) |
Forest | 30 | 30 (+3) |
Everton | 29 | 29 (+2) |
Leicester City | 26 | 26 (+1) |
Southampton | 23 | 23 (0) |
What Is VAR?
The VAR which means video assistant referee (VAR) is a match official in association football that reviews decisions made by the referee during live matches.
The assistant video assistant referee (AVAR) is a current or former referee appointed to assist the VAR in the video operation room.
The major responsibilities of the AVAR include watching the live action on the field while the VAR undertakes a “check” or a “review”, keeping a record of reviewable incidents and communicating the outcome of a review to broadcasters.
Should The VAR Remain In The Premier League?
VAR was introduced in the English Premier League to improve the game and reduce human errors completely, but it seems to have taken the wrong route.
Fans could easily move on if the referee should make an error in a match after all ‘no human is perfect.’
But can fans move on from mistakes made by humans after they have taken their time to review replays of an incident from multiple angles with the use of world-class technology?
What if such blunders ruin a club’s chances of winning a final – use the Chelsea v Liverpool Carabao Cup final in 2022 as an example.
Several blunders have been committed by the VAR team in the English Top Flight League and it does not look like something that will stop very soon.
Well, while many fans want it removed completely since it has not improved the game, other fans want an immediate improvement.