Newcastle United have enjoyed a strong start to the Premier League season despite not hitting their brilliant best after four games. Eddie Howe’s side have collected 10 points from the first 12 on offer, with only reigning champions Manchester City earning more after four games.
The Magpies dropped points in their 1-1 clash at Bournemouth but have beaten Southampton, Tottenham Hotspur and Wolves this season. So far, VAR has impacted Howe’s side just once with the Cherries denied a late winner at the Vitality Stadium last month. However, PGMOL chief Howard Webb admitted on Match Officials Mic'd Up that the goal should not have been ruled out.
Dango Ouattara thought he’d won the game as he powered home but VAR decided the ball had been handled by the defender. However, Webb contested: "I agree. The referee's on-field call is 'goal' and the officials on the field didn't see any reason to disallow this goal. We know all goals are checked by the VAR to see if there's ay reason why the goal can't be awarded. One of those reasons is if the ball directly hits the attacker's arm and goes directly in the goal and scores immediately.
"In this situation, the ball strikes Ouattara somewhere [in the] shoulder, upper arm area. It's hard to be totally conclusive as to exactly where. I don't think that's conclusive enough to intervene.”
It hasn’t all gone the Magpies way in terms of decisions this campaign, with Fabian Schar sent off controversially against Southampton in the opening game of the campaign - although that decision did not involve VAR. Newcastle aren’t the only side to have benefitted from intervention from Stockley Park, however, with VAR making a number of calls across the Premier League already this season. Below we run through how the Premier League table might look without the use of the video technology as we subtract or add points based on decisions that have led to goals being given or ruled out by VAR. Take a look...
1. 20th: Wolves - 1 point
VAR awarded a penalty to Brentford in Wolves' 5-3 defeat ahead of the international break. Bryan Mbeumo scored it. | Wolves via Getty Images
2. 19th: Southampton - 1 point
Southampton have had a tough start to life back in the Premier League but have not had any VAR contention to deal with so far. | Getty Images
3. 18th: Crystal Palace - 2 points (- 1 point)
Without VAR, Palace would be a point worse off after Jean-Philippe Mateta's goal was awarded after an incorrect offside in their 2-2 draw with Leicester City. | Getty Images
4. 17th: Ipswich Town - 4 points
There has been the one VAR decision against the Premier League new boys but it came in a game they lost 4-1 at Man City. | Getty Images