Stats show VAR has HELPED Arsenal in title race despite Gunners fans being left baffled by decisions

VAR has appeared to have HELPED Arsenal in their title pursuit – despite fans being left angered by decisions this season.

The Gunners have put themselves in a very encouraging position heading into the final few months of the Premier League season.

Mikel Arteta’s side have a five point lead over Manchester City – and have left every other team in the dust.

The club are potentially just 12 games away from a first title in almost two decades.

But anxious fans have become increasingly suspicious of VAR – and that mood went into overdrive last month after Lee Mason’s mistake when Brentford visited the Emirates.

But new stats from ESPN suggest Arsenal have actually had the rub of the green when it comes to video technology.

The club have seen five decisions go their way this season, with only a handful of clubs getting more lucky with VAR interventions.

Meanwhile, title rivals Man City have only had one VAR decision go their way all season long.

Only relegation-battling Southampton have had a less good time of it from officials at Stockley Park with the Saints not having a single decision go in their favour so far.

At the other end of the VAR table, West Ham have benefited the most from controversial refereeing decisions with eight moments going in their favour.

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Fellow Londoners Brentford follow with seven decisions, while Fulham, Liverpool and Newcastle all had six moments go their way thanks to technology.

While Arsenal have enjoyed some favourable interventions, data suggests they have also had five decisions go against them throughout the course of the season.

Along with Mason’s howler, the Gunners have found themselves at the centre of several 50/50 VAR moments.

Many disagreed with the decision to award Arsenal a penalty against Man City when Eddie Nketiah clashed with goalkeeper Ederson last month.

While even more controversy was sparked when Leandro Trossard saw his goal against Leicester chalked off later in February.

Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk