Arsenal 2nd, Chelsea 3rd, Everton 4th, Liverpool 5th – How much of a difference did bad refereeing make this season?

All year long we’ve been bitching about refereeing decisions going against our clubs. Sometimes we resort to bitching about how refereeing decisions unfairly help other clubs (witness SAF’s comment on Arsenal’s late equaliser against Villa, or Grant’s whinge about referees helping United win the title).

Right Result, since the start of the 2006/2007, have been tracking each Premier League game and answering the question: “how would the Premier League look if refs got all the decisions right?”

Last season Arsenal would have finished 3rd, Villa 6th, Tottenham 10th and West ham relegated. This year the changes are not so drastic, with the 3 relegated sides still relegated and the biggest jumps being that of Fulham from 17 to 13th (with Wigan dropping down).

It’s at the top of the table that things get interesting. Arsenal and Chelsea swap places, proving to an extent how much Chelsea have benefited from dubious refereeing decisions this season (Arsenal apparently have suffered more than most two seasons in a row, something that’s going to give Arsenal fans more reason to be annoying). The biggest surprise though, has been Everton and Liverpool swapping spots. The league table shows Liverpool being 11 points ahead of Everton but the Right Result table puts them a point ahead. Everton screwed over and Liverpool getting help from referees? Who would have thunk it?

And what would have happened to Torres, Gerrard and Rafa if Liverpool were in the UEFA Cup? Would Barry still be interested in going to Anfield?

See the Right Result table here for yourself.

Arrow to top