Brentford, Fulham and Liverpool benefitted more from VAR calls than any other club this season

• The Premier League season saw referees and VAR come under heavy scrutiny 
• It’s been revealed how many VAR decisions each club had for and against them
• Liverpool, Fulham and Brentford were among the teams who benefited the most 

Every season supporters feel as if their teams have been hard done-by refereeing decisions and since it was introduced to the Premier League in 2019, VAR has added to the sense of injustice.

This season has been no different with the PGMOL coming under significant pressure for mistakes, with new technical director Howard Webb repeatedly outlining his desire to improve officiating in the top flight.

And in research compiled by ESPN, it has been shown that Brentford, Fulham and Liverpool benefited more from VAR calls than any other clubs this season.

The analysis focused purely on decisions that were overturned by VAR with 116 in total across the campaign.

This included decisions leading to goals, disallowed goals, red cards and penalties, among other things.

Measured by a ‘VAR – net score’, Brentford were in first place with a +6 rating given they had 11 decisions overturned in their favour and five against. 

Liverpool and Fulham were tied in joint-second place with a VAR net score of +5, while Nottingham Forest were not too far behind them with +3.

At the other end of the table, champions Manchester City and this season’s surprise package Brighton were the teams most negatively affected by VAR as both had four more decisions go against them than for them.

Relegated sides Leeds and Leicester City could perhaps count themselves unlucky as they had VAR net scores of -3 and -2 respectively.

Meanwhile, the old adage that bad refereeing decisions balance themselves out was pertinent for Chelsea, Everton and Manchester United who all ended with a score of 0.

Liverpool’s position as the second biggest beneficiary of VAR decisions is perhaps surprising given the many outbursts of Jurgen Klopp this season.

Most notably, after their dramatic 4-3 victory over Tottenham in April, Klopp claimed that referee Paul Tierney ‘had something against’ his side.

The German had said: ‘We have our history with Tierney, I really don’t know what he has against us. He has said there [are] no problems but that cannot be true.

‘How he looks at me, I don’t understand it. In England nobody has to clarify these situations, it’s really tricky and hard to understand.

‘What he said to me when he gave me the yellow card is not OK.’ Klopp was ultimately handed a two-match ban for the comments.

On another occasion, following a 3-1 defeat to Brentford in January, Klopp had fumed at officials after Bryan Mbeumo’s third goal, claiming he fouled Reds defender Ibrahima Konate in the process.

When asked if he spoke to the officials post-game, the German fired a dig at them as he said: ‘Yeah, but actually that’s exactly the same as I would talk to my microwave, you get no response, really. It’s always the same.

‘Before the season they gave us advice that the players have to be careful in these moments because the refs will have an eye on it. You see in these games pretty much everything is allowed, it’s always on the edge and they are using it.’

During the same game, Liverpool had benefitted from one of the nine VAR decisions that were overturned in their favour when Ben Mee had a goal ruled out for offside in the 39th minute.

Elsewhere, during their 1-0 win over Manchester City in October, Phil Foden had a goal ruled out for a foul by Erling Haaland on Fabinho in the build-up, before Mohamed Salah scored the winner.

Meanwhile, in both games against Chelsea this season – which ended in dire 0-0 draws – Kai Havertz had goals chalked off.

VAR also ruled in favour of the Reds during the Merseyside derby when Conor Coady’s second half goal was disallowed during the stalemate.

The former Liverpool youngster was narrowly offside in what would have been Everton’s first derby victory in front of fans since 2010. 

Along with Brentford, Fulham, Liverpool and Forest, Aston Villa, Bournemouth and Newcastle ended with positive VAR net scores.

Again, this is perhaps ironic given Cherries boss Gary O’Neil recently proclaimed it was a ‘miracle’ they got 39 points ‘with the level of officiating against us’.

Overall, this means 10 teams had more VAR decisions go against them, but it didn’t stop Pep Guardiola’s side winning a stunning fifth title in six seasons.