LIVERPOOL would have been SIX points clear and well on course to defend their Prem crown – if there was no VAR.
Jurgen Klopp’s men are four points worse off than they would have been without the technology.
Jurgen Klopp’s side are four points worse off with VARCredit: Tom Jenkins/ The Guardian
And Manchester United, who can move clear at the top in the real world when they meet Burnley next week, would have been only third, some seven points adrift of the champions, without the interventions from Stockley Park.
Liverpool have been the team on the “wrong” end of most VAR decisions, with eight overturns – either “factual” calls by Stockley Park or after the referee has looked at the pitchside monitor – compared to two changed decisions in their favour.
While most of those calls only altered the scoreline, Klopp’s side lost four points that would have been banked without intervention.
Those key decisions saw Jordan Henderson’s late “winner” in the Merseyside derby chalked off after Sadio Mane was deemed offside in the build-up and Brighton awarded an injury-time spot kick for Andy Robertson’s foul on Danny Welbeck at the Amex.
United, by contrast, are three points better off than they would have been without VAR interventions.
Liverpool’s VAR changes
FOR
Chelsea (a) Christensen yellow card upgraded to red
Wolves (h) Coady penalty overturned as no contact by Mane
AGAINST
Everton (A) Henderson goal ruled out for armpit offside against Mane
Sheff Utd (h) Blades converted penalty after Fabinho foul ruled inside the box
Sheff Utd (h) Salah goal offside
West Ham (h) Jota goal disallowed for Mane foul
Man City (a) Penalty for Gomez handball (missed by De Bruyne)
Brighton (a) Salah offside goal in first half
Brighton (a) Mane clearly offside from second half free-kick.
Brighton (a) Gross scores penalty for Robertson foul on Welbeck
Without the technology, United would have drawn at Brighton, rather than winning through a penalty awarded after the final whistle had initially been blown.
And although United were denied what would have been a decisive spot kick in the Manchester derby, they would have lost 1-0 to West Brom, rather than beating them by the same score, if VAR had not been used.
While they would have only been two points better off without VAR, Aston Villa have been arguably the biggest “victims” as Dean Smith’s side would have been four places higher and in fourth.
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Jordan Henderson’s late winner was ruled out against EvertonCredit: Times Newspapers Ltd
Man United are three points better off with VARCredit: PA:Press Association
Despite two full rounds of games without a VAR overturn – the last changed decisions saw Tammy Abraham’s December 26 consolation strike for Chelsea at Arsenal allowed after being originally flagged offside – there have still been 65 changed decisions after 164 matches this term.
Despite two full rounds of games without a VAR overturn – the last changed decisions saw Tammy Abraham’s December 26 consolation strike for Chelsea at Arsenal allowed after being originally flagged offside – there have still been 65 changed decisions after 164 matches this term.
That equates to a changed decision every 2.52 matches. Last season, by comparison, the 380 matches brought 109 changes, at a rate of one every 3.49 games.
A total of 21 goals have been disallowed, 17 of them for offside, three goals allowed that were initially flagged, 17 penalties awarded and nine waived, with 10 red cards after monitor reviews.
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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
