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...
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13. 8th: Brighton - 10 points ( -2 points)
Brighton currently sit on 12 points but that total would be reduced to 10 without the intervention of VAR to disallow Joshua Zirkzee's goal for Manchester United against the Seagulls. Brighton won that fixture 2-1 in the end. Had one VAR decision go against them and one for them in their opening-day win over Everton as they went on to win 3-0. | Getty Images
14. 7th: Bournemouth - 12 points (+4 points)
The Cherries could have had a strong record if not for VAR. Dango Ouattara has had two goals ruled out by Stockley Park with a controversial handball decision denying him the glory in a 1-1 draw with Newcastle Untied as his stoppage-time winner was chalked off. Against Nottingham Forest a week previous, he saw a goal ruled out for an offside against Lewis Cook. That game also finished 1-1. Also had a goal ruled out for offside in a 3-0 loss to Liverpool. | Getty Images
15. 6th: Fulham - 13 points (+2 points)
Fulham beat Leicester City 2-1 last month with the Foxes' goal initially ruled out for an offside against Jamie Vardy. However, after a check Wout Faes was able to celebrate an equaliser but Fulham battled back to earn all three points. Earned all three points late last month after VAR intervened in a penalty award for a foul by Murillo on Andreas Pereira. Raúl Jiménez scored it for a 1-0 win. | Getty Images
16. 5th: Aston Villa - 14 points
VAR has not overturned any decisions for or against Unai Emery's side this season. | AFP via Getty Images