If VAR was a year, it would undoubtedly be 2020.
Everyone is confused about what they can and can’t get away with and the rules are constantly changing. It’s been a shambles from start to finish.
And no, we’re not talking about Britain’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic.
VAR has made 2020 even worse and is on the verge of ruining football altogether.
That’s why, we here at GIVEMESPORT, attempt to forget all about VAR. Each week, we produce an article showing what the Premier League table would look like without VAR.
And here’s how it looks after the latest batch of fixtures in gameweek 13:
1st | Liverpool | Points: 35 | Points difference: +4
NO OVERTURNED VAR DECISIONS IN GAMEWEEK 14
2nd | Tottenham | Points: 26 | Points difference: +1
Game: Leicester (H)
Incident 1: VAR award Leicester a 45-minute penalty for Serge Aurier’s foul on Wesley Fofana. Incident 2: James Maddison’s 47th-minute goal ruled out by VAR for offside.
Outcome without VAR (DRAW): This is a tough one to call. If Leicester aren’t awarded a penalty on the stroke of half-time, do they play the second half with such confidence? Probably not. Maddison’s goal would have stood but the game wouldn’t have played out the same if Leicester hadn’t been 1-0 up at half-time. Therefore, we think the most likely result if it had been 0-0 at half-time is a draw.
3rd | Chelsea | Points: 25 | Points difference: 0
NO OVERTURNED VAR DECISIONS IN GAMEWEEK 14
4th | Aston Villa | Points: 24 | Points difference: +2
Game: West Brom (A)
Incident 1: West Brom's Jake Livermore sent off by VAR for a tackle on Jack Grealish in the 36th-minute.
Incident 2: Ollie Watkins has a goal disallowed by VAR for offside in the 72nd-minute.
Outcome without VAR (ASTON VILLA WIN): Without VAR, Livermore wouldn't have been sent off but, by then, West Brom were already 1-0 down and being outplayed. They would have stood a better chance of getting a result if they had 11 men but, then again, Watkins' goal would have stood. Villa won the match 3-0 and we think they would have won the game without the need for technology.
5th | Leicester | Points: 24 | Points difference: -3
Game: Tottenham (A)
Incident 1: VAR award Leicester a 45-minute penalty for Serge Aurier’s foul on Wesley Fofana. Incident 2: James Maddison’s 47th-minute goal ruled out by VAR for offside.
Outcome without VAR (DRAW): This is a tough one to call. If Leicester aren’t awarded a penalty on the stroke of half-time, do they play the second half with such confidence? Probably not. Maddison’s goal would have stood but the game wouldn’t have played out the same if Leicester hadn’t been 1-0 up at half-time. Therefore, we think the most likely result if it had been 0-0 at half-time is a draw.
6th | Manchester United | Points: 24 | Points difference: -2
NO OVERTURNED VAR DECISIONS IN GAMEWEEK 14
7th | Manchester City | Points: 23 | Points difference: 0
NO OVERTURNED VAR DECISIONS IN GAMEWEEK 14
8th | Everton | Points: 23 | Points difference: -3
NO OVERTURNED VAR DECISIONS IN GAMEWEEK 14
9th | Southampton | Points: 22 | Points difference: -2
NO OVERTURNED VAR DECISIONS IN GAMEWEEK 14
10th | Wolves | Points: 21 | Points difference: +1
NO OVERTURNED VAR DECISIONS IN GAMEWEEK 14
11th | Leeds United | Points: 18 | Points difference: +1
NO OVERTURNED VAR DECISIONS IN GAMEWEEK 14
12th | West Ham | Points: 17 | Points difference: -4
NO OVERTURNED VAR DECISIONS IN GAMEWEEK 14
13th | Newcastle | Points: 17 | Points difference: -1
Game: Fulham (H)
Incident: Joachim Andersen sent off by VAR for his last-man foul on Callum Wilson in the 64th-minute which led to Newcastle’s penalty.
Outcome without VAR (DRAW): Fulham held out for a draw with 10 men for the remaining 25 minutes. Could they have gone on to win the match if they had their full quota? Possibly but we think a draw is the most likely result.
14th | Crystal Palace | Points: 17 | Points difference: -1
NO OVERTURNED VAR DECISIONS IN GAMEWEEK 14
15th | Arsenal | Points: 15 | Points difference: +1
NO OVERTURNED VAR DECISIONS IN GAMEWEEK 14
16th | Brighton | Points: 15 | Points difference: +3
Game: Sheffield United (H)
Incident: John Lundstram’s yellow card upgraded to a red card by VAR in the 40th-minute for his challenge on Joel Veltman.
Outcome without VAR (DRAW): Sheffield United performed brilliantly for 50 minutes without Lundstram. They went on to earn a 1-1 draw
17th | Burnley | Points: 11 | Points difference: -2
NO OVERTURNED VAR DECISIONS IN GAMEWEEK 14
18th | Fulham | Points: 9 | Points difference: -1
Game: Newcastle (A)
Incident: Joachim Andersen sent off by VAR for his last-man foul on Callum Wilson in the 64th-minute which led to Newcastle’s penalty.
Outcome without VAR (DRAW): Fulham held out for a draw with 10 men for the remaining 25 minutes. Could they have gone on to win the match if they had their full quota? Possibly but we think a draw is the most likely result.
19th | West Brom | Points: 8 | Points difference: +1
Game: Aston Villa (H)
Incident 1: West Brom's Jake Livermore sent off by VAR for a tackle on Jack Grealish in the 36th-minute.
Incident 2: Ollie Watkins has a goal disallowed by VAR for offside in the 72nd-minute.
Outcome without VAR (ASTON VILLA WIN): Without VAR, Livermore wouldn't have been sent off but, by then, West Brom were already 1-0 down and being outplayed. They would have stood a better chance of getting a result if they had 11 men but, then again, Watkins' goal would have stood. Villa won the match 3-0 and we think they would have won the game without the need for technology.
20th | Sheffield United | Points: 1 | Points difference: -1
Game: Brighton (A)
Incident: John Lundstram’s yellow card upgraded to a red card by VAR in the 40th-minute for his challenge on Joel Veltman.
Outcome without VAR (DRAW): Sheffield United performed brilliantly for 50 minutes without Lundstram. They went on to earn a 1-1 draw