Each week, Squawka’s VAR table recalculates the standings by removing the impact of VAR ‘errors’.
Those errors are as voted for by Squawka followers on our polls on X, based on each gameweek’s most controversial VAR calls.
By focusing only on the most recent round of fixtures, this alternative view highlights the immediate impact of officiating errors. And provides a fair reflection of team performance.
The 2026/27 Premier League season is back from the international break, and the contentious VAR calls have returned with it. Let’s take a look at how the VAR ‘errors’ from GW6 have affected the hypothetical table.
2026/27 Premier League table without VAR ‘errors’
Note: Our table has been compiled on the basis that penalties that should have been awarded would subsequently have been scored. Since 2016/17, 80.2% of Premier League penalties taken have been scored.
How many VAR ‘errors’ have gone against your team?
Man Utd and Ipswich are the only teams to have benefited from two ‘errors’ in their favour this season, though both have also had one go against them. Arsenal and Man City are the other two sides to have had at least one error for and against them.
| CLUB | ERRORS FOR | ERRORS AGAINST | DIFFERENCE |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brentford | 0 | 1 | -1 |
| Chelsea | 0 | 1 | -1 |
| Everton | 0 | 1 | -1 |
| Liverpool | 0 | 1 | -1 |
| Nottingham Forest | 0 | 1 | -1 |
| Arsenal | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Man City | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Aston Villa | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Bournemouth | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Brighton | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Coventry | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Crystal Palace | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Fulham | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Hull | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Newcastle | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ipswich | 2 | 1 | +1 |
| Man Utd | 2 | 1 | +1 |
| Leeds | 1 | 0 | +1 |
| Sunderland | 1 | 0 | +1 |
| Tottenham | 1 | 0 | +1 |
GW6 VAR controversies
There were three VAR talking points for Gameweek 6 as the Premier League returned from the international break. Two were related to red cards, but there was a potential game-changing goal disallowed in Everton’s draw with Hull City.
Was VAR right to overturn missed Struijk red card?
- Match result: Sunderland 0-2 Brighton
- Original decision: No red card
- VAR decision: Red card
- Squawka poll says: Red card (78.1%)
Wilson Isidor was not happy when he went down near the Brighton and Hove Albion box early in the second half. The Sunderland man felt he had been fouled by Pascal Struijk, when trying to chase a loose ball. But nothing was given by the referee — not even a free-kick. Play continued but VAR checked the incident in the background. They eventually decided that Struijk had denied an obvious goalscoring opportunity, recommending a review for a red card. The referee changed his decision, sending Struijk off, though some fans were not happy — feeling it didn’t reach the threshold for an error.
Should Rodrigo Bentancur have been sent off?
- Match result: Man Utd 1-1 Tottenham
- Original decision: Red card
- VAR decision: Red card
- Squawka poll says: Red card (61%)
Tempers boiled in Manchester United’s draw with Tottenham Hotspur, as both sides desperate for a victory. They came to a head in the final 15 minutes, with Rodrigo Bentancur and Luke Shaw involved. The pair initially challenged for a loose but, with Bentancur going in hard for a tackle, with a slight scissor movement. He won the ball cleanly and eventually cleared, but the Uruguayan had annoyed Shaw. The Englishman chased Bentancur and pushed him to the ground, starting the clash.
Bentancur rose quickly and leaned into Shaw with his forehead, before they were separated by teammates. After things had died down, Bentancur was sent off for a headbutt, deemed to have been with “some force”. Some fans felt the red card was harsh, given it was only a lean rather than a Zinedine Zidane-esque headbutt.
Were Everton denied a goal?
- Match result: Hull 2-2 Everton
- Original decision: Goal
- VAR decision: No goal
- Squawka poll says: No goal (55.3%)
Another subjective offside decision, and this one has a few parts. Brennan Johnson thought he had given Everton a first-half lead against Hull, after a clearance rebounded off him into the back of the net. But, after VAR review — including the referee going to the screen — it was eventually ruled out. Johnson was deemed to have challenged Ryan Giles for the ball from an offside position. The Welshman was offside when Harrison Armstrong initially took his shot, which was blocked. The ball rebounded to Giles, whose attempted clearance hit Johnson before going in.
While Giles’ attempted clearance was a deliberate action, because Johnson had challenged the Hull man for the ball, the Everton attacker’s previous position was taken into account. And blocks aren’t deliberate actions, so, because Johnson had been offside from Armstrong’s initial shot — and challenged Giles for the ball — the goal was ruled out.