Reimagining the Premier League Table for Arsenal, Chelsea, and Tottenham Without VAR
VAR has been a source of controversy throughout the Premier League season, with its impact on the table becoming a subject of debate. Arsenal, in particular, would arguably benefit the most if VAR had not been implemented this season.
Introduced in the 2019/20 campaign, VAR was intended to rectify clear and obvious errors in refereeing decisions. However, its implementation has been fraught with controversy, with incidents such as referee bias and mistaken offside calls drawing criticism.
For instance, Nottingham Forest recently raised concerns over the appointment of a VAR official with ties to a Premier League relegation rival. Tottenham Hotspur also benefited from a VAR mistake earlier in the season, which denied Liverpool a clear goal due to an offside call.
Analyzing the impact of VAR on London teams, it’s evident that Arsenal would fare better without it, gaining one extra point compared to their current standing. This adjustment would also affect the title race, with Manchester City’s lead over Arsenal reduced to just one point if they won their two games in hand.
Similarly, Tottenham Hotspur would see a significant improvement of four points in their tally, although they would remain in fifth place. West Ham United would climb three spots to seventh, overtaking Manchester United, who would drop to ninth.
However, the most notable impact would be on Chelsea, who would lose four points without VAR, dropping three places to 12th in the table. Fulham would also slide down to 13th place, while teams below them would remain unchanged, ensuring Crystal Palace and Brentford stay clear of the relegation zone.
Reimagining the Premier League Table for Arsenal, Chelsea, and Tottenham Without VAR
