VAR saves Liverpool as Premier League table without technology looks different
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The Premier League table would look drastically different without VAR — Arsenal would still be the champion on goal difference over Manchester City and Liverpool would drop to sixth behind BournemouthLiverpool has endured a tough season(Image: Getty Images)Arsenal would still have clinched the Premier League title even without VAR, according to recent research.However, the Gunners would have pipped Manchester City purely on goal difference. Tottenham would have comfortably avoided relegation rather than needing three points on the final day of the campaign, according to AceOdds, finishing nine points above the drop zone.READ MORE: Alan Shearer calls Liverpool hero one of best signings in Premier League historyREAD MORE: Curtis Jones drops Liverpool transfer hint immediately after last game of seasonThe Lilywhites secured survival thanks to Joao Palhinha's strike in victory over Everton.Relegated West Ham would have escaped the drop, with Nottingham Forest instead completing the bottom three alongside Burnley and Wolves.
The Hammers' 3-0 victory over Leeds would have ensured their survival, while Forest went down on the final day following the draw with Bournemouth.Chelsea's catastrophic season would have concluded even more dismally. Their final day conquerors, Sunderland, enjoyed an outstanding campaign by finishing seventh and securing Europa League qualification.Premier League table without VAR(Image: Aceodds)Without VAR, the Black Cats would still have secured a respectable Premier League survival, albeit without the same level of achievement, dropping below Newcastle and finishing 13th.Bournemouth has had its own remarkable journey, securing Europa League soccer by finishing sixth.
Without VAR, it appears the Cherries would have pipped Arne Slot's Liverpool to fifth place by two points, with the Anfield club suffering an even greater fall from grace following its 2025 title triumph.After their final day draw with Brentford, Reds manager Slot acknowledged that Champions League qualification was the bare minimum for the Reds."We came here today to do the minimum, that's the minimum required, and that is qualifying for the Champions League," he said. "As you see when you take a look at the league table, big clubs are not able to qualify for Champions League or Europe."Big clubs have not been able to qualify for Europe in the last few seasons in this league, so we can never take it for granted, but it's clear and obvious that we wanted more."Mikel Arteta, meanwhile, is determined that his players will build on their title victory rather than follow Liverpool's trajectory.