It turns out the Premier League title race might look completely different if we just removed the human error from the equation. According to a deep dive by Sports Illustrated, there were 25 officially acknowledged Video Assistant Referee (VAR) blunders during the 2025–26 season. That’s seven more mistakes than the previous year, and they didn’t affect every team equally.

The data comes from the league’s own Key Match Incidents (KMI) Panel, the body tasked with reviewing controversial calls. While fans often argue over what constitutes an "error," this list is official. It includes decisions where VAR intervened incorrectly or failed to intervene when it should have. The twist? These errors swung points away from some clubs and handed them to others, potentially altering the final standings in dramatic ways.

The Official Count: 25 Blunders

Here’s the thing about officiating stats: until you see the full picture, it’s easy to think your team was singled out. But the numbers tell a broader story. By Matchweek 19, the KMI Panel had already logged 13 errors. That pace suggested a rough season ahead for consistency. By the time the final whistle blew on the campaign, that number had climbed to 25.

BBC Sport reportedly compiled a complete list of these incorrect decisions, giving analysts a clear roadmap to recalculate results. This isn’t fan speculation; it’s based on formal reviews. The gap between the 18 errors recorded in the 2024–25 season and the 25 in 2025–26 highlights a worrying trend in officiating reliability. When you’re talking about a league decided by single goals, even one wrong call can change history.

Who Lost Out? United, Liverpool, and Palace

If you wanted to feel sympathy for any club this season, Manchester United would be at the top of the list. Analysis by Squawka reveals that United suffered the most from these mistakes, with nine specific errors going against them. Nine! That’s nearly 40% of all official VAR blunders concentrated on one team.

But they weren’t alone in their misery. Both Liverpool and Crystal Palace shared the worst net differential of -5. This metric compares errors in a team’s favor versus those against them. A score of -5 means they lost five more points-worth of decisions than they gained. For Liverpool, who often hover near the top, losing potential points due to officiating errors is a massive blow to their title ambitions.

A TikTok compilation titled "Final 25/26 VAR mistakes per Premier League team" highlighted every recorded mistake against Liverpool and Man United, visually reinforcing how heavily these two giants were penalized. It’s not just about one bad day; it’s a cumulative disadvantage that builds up over 38 games.

The Big Winners: Arsenal and Chelsea

On the flip side, some teams had the odds stacked firmly in their favor. Arsenal emerged as the biggest beneficiary of VAR chaos. An Instagram graphic breaking down the data showed Arsenal with 11 errors in their favor and zero against them. That’s a net positive of +11. To put that in perspective, eleven points could be the difference between winning the league and finishing fourth.

Chelsea also rode the wave of favorable calls. They recorded four errors in their favor and none against, resulting in a net gain of +4. GiveMeSport noted that while errors impacted some clubs massively, they "helped Arsenal and Chelsea a lot." It’s a stark contrast: while United and Liverpool fought against the system, Arsenal and Chelsea seemed to have it working for them.

Even mid-table sides like AFC Bournemouth saw some luck, with four errors in their favor and only two against. But compared to Arsenal’s perfect record of beneficial errors, their gain was modest.

What Does This Mean for the Future?

The distribution of these errors raises serious questions about fairness. Is it random chance, or are there systemic issues in how certain matches are reviewed? The fact that Arsenal had *zero* errors against them suggests either incredible luck or a pattern of leniency toward high-profile teams. Meanwhile, Manchester United’s nine adverse errors point to a consistent struggle to get justice from the monitor.

As the Premier League moves into the next season, pressure will mount on the KMI Panel to improve transparency and accuracy. Fans don’t just want to know *that* errors happened; they want to know *why*. With technology advancing, the expectation is perfection. Until then, every dropped point due to a VAR mistake will fuel debates for years to come.