Many Newcastle United fans will think that VAR has been cruel to them in the Premier League, but new statistics show something which will surprise many.
It is fair to say that the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) has been a controversial introduction into English football since its debut in the 2019/20 season.
Newcastle United have had their fair share of decisions go against them. Some deservedly so, but other calls were proven to be wrong.
In a 3-0 win against Ipswich, Bruno Guimaraes had a goal chalked off for Newcastle after he was judged to have fouled goalkeeper Alex Palmer before scoring. Former Premier League ace Stephen Warnock called the decision “baffling” believing that the goal should have stood.
Elsewhere, Newcastle legend Alan Shearer blasted VAR after Nick Pope conceded a penalty against Crystal Palace. Thankfully, Pope saved the spot-kick and the Magpies won the game 5-0.
While VAR remains a controversial inclusion to the Premier League, Newcastle have learned the shocking truth about their luck with the innovative technology.
Premier League referee Samuel Barrott checks the pitch-side monitor after an incident between Fulham's Raul Jimenez during a game between Newcastle United and Fulham.
Photo by ANDY BUCHANAN/AFP via Getty Images
Newcastle United have benefited the most from Premier League VAR calls
Surprisingly, it is the Magpies who have come off the best when it comes to VAR interventions. However, that does mean that referees appear to be missing a lot of decisions in the heat of the moment and need to be saved by the technology.
According to ESPN Sport, Newcastle had a whopping 17 VAR interventions last season, with 13 of them going in their favour. That gives them a +9 on the net score, more than any other team in the league.
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The statistics also show that Newcastle had the biggest net effect on goals in the 2024/25 season, being awarded four goals by VAR and having none against. Despite that, they had six goals disallowed due to offside or fouls and just one goal disallowed in their favour.
Over the last six years, Newcastle have had the highest net score, showing they have taken the most benefit out of VAR since its introduction into the league.
There were calls for VAR to be scrapped in the Premier League in 2024
Newcastle’s luck with VAR appears to be good, but a couple of controversial decisions could change all of that next season.
However, VAR could have come to a complete end in England after the 2023/24 season had one club gotten their way. Wolves were far from happy with VAR decisions going against them; their net score of -18 shows it has been far from kind to them in the past.
The Premier League side raised their concerns with VAR and called for the technology to be scrapped. It went to a vote, and Wolves were the only ones in favour of its removal. They suffered a humiliating 19-1 defeat in the vote, which is ironically the same net score they have with VAR since its introduction.
Newcastle were helped by VAR in the Carabao Cup final, according to Mark Clattenburg, showing that it is not only the Premier League where decisions are going their way.