BURNLEY would have stayed up, and Leeds relegated, without VAR.
SunSport has analysed all the on-field Prem decisions overturned by the video booth at Stockley Park.
And while the top SIX would have finished in exactly the same order even if VAR did not exist, it would have been a very different situation at the bottom.
Burnley’s woe at dropping out of the top flight will only be intensified by the study, which assumes that all penalties would have been scored had they been awarded.
Without VAR intervention, the Clarets would have picked up FOUR more points, enough to take them comfortably clear of the drop zone in 16th place.
Critical calls went against Burnley in four matches.
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They were originally awarded a spot-kick against Arsenal, with the chance to draw level late-on in that game then taken away by a review.
A Chris Wood “winner” at Leicester was chalked off for offside, while two huge calls in their last two matches – the penalties awarded against Ashley Barnes at Spurs and then Nathan Collins against Newcastle – proved so costly.
Leeds, by contrast, would have been doomed before their last-day heroics at Brentford.
The Elland Road side would have won one game fewer, and drawn one more, over the season, leaving them two points worse off and relegated on goal difference behind Southampton.
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The Saints ended up with four points more than they would have done without the technology being employed.
Over the entire season, 121 decisions were changed, two fewer than last season.
A total of 43 goals were disallowed and 39 penalties awarded, with 13 goals given that were initially ruled out and nine penalties waived.
West Ham, with 10, had the most decisions changed in their favour, while Leicester only had two positive overturns.
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That, perhaps, explains why the “no VAR” table has the Foxes in the Conference League spot above the Hammers on goal difference, with Leicester five points better off without the Stockley Park calls.
Relegated Norwich had 11 decisions changed to their detriment, although they would still have finished bottom of the table without VAR, while Liverpool and Southampton were VAR “victims” on just three occasions.
