Premier League: How Table Would Look if VAR Was Not in Use This Season

The 2023/24 Premier League season is slowly taking shape ahead of the second half of the campaign.

Liverpool and Arsenal have emerged as the early favourites for the crown, with Aston Villa touted as the dark horses.

Reigning champions Manchester City are also firmly in the race after picking up the pieces in recent games to get their title defence back on track.

The Reds are currently topping the charts with 45 points from 20 games and have a three-point advantage over second-placed Aston Villa.

City are third with 40 points, while the Gunners complete the top four podium ahead of Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United.

Elsewhere, Manchester United are placed eighth with 31 points, three points ahead of 10th-placed Chelsea.

As it stands, Luton Town, Sheffield United, and Burnley are the three teams in the relegation zone.

VAR impact on the EPL

The Video Referee Assistant (VAR) has been a whirlwind of controversy since its introduction to the Premier League.

The 2023/24 season has not been any different, with a number of decisions made by the technology has sparked heated debates and left fans frustrated.

Key among the emerging issues involving VAR include its inconsistent application and its overly technical decisions.

According to GiveMeSport, Newcastle United's EPL clash against Arsenal is among those that have been riddled with VAR controversies this season.

The tie saw Anthony Gordon earn the Magpies a controversial win, with VAR's failure to intervene moments earlier after the ball appeared to go out of play sparking outrage from the Arsenal camp.

Over and above this, there have been more than 50 decisions altered after VAR interventions so far this season.

These VAR decisions have no doubt gone on to have a significant impact on the Premier League table, the title and top four races, and even the relegation battle.

In total, VAR has awarded 16 penalties thus far, with 15 of those successfully converted

In numbers crunched by The Sun, Chelsea have been one of the biggest beneficiaries of VAR decisions going there way, with Aston Villa and Arsenal the most negatively impacted teams.

How EPL table would look without VAR

According to stats, Unai Emery's Villa would be topping the charts if VAR was not in use.

Villa would be leading the standings with 46 points, four points more than their current 42.

Liverpool would be placed second with 45 points, while Arsenal would be third with 41 points, a point more than their current 40, which has them sitting fourth.

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Incredibly, Tottenham would be sitting above City with 41 points, while Brighton would be occupying sixth place with 36 points.

The Seagulls are currently occupying seventh place with 31 points, three points behind West Ham, who would be sitting seventh instead without VAR.

Elsewhere, Man United's eighth place would be unchanged, so would be Newcastle's ninth place.

However, the Blues would be down by two places in 12th place with just 22 points had VAR not intervened.

Luton, Burnley, and Sheffield United would still be in the relegation zone without VAR.

Five controversial decisions against Arsenal

Sports Brief analysed five controversial decisions against Arsenal after Arteta went on a rant following the decision against his team in the 1-0 loss to Newcastle.

The Gunners were also on the wrong side of poor officiating after Manchester City star Mateo Kovacic escaped a red card for two offences, though a win compensated the Londoners.