Ref Watch: David Brooks grabbed Marco Cucurello's shirt, not his hair, in Chelsea's draw with Bournemouth, says Dermot Gallagher | Football News

Former referee Dermot Gallagher reviews the controversial moments from midweek action, including the first time in Premier League history that an official refused to review a red card on a pitch monitor.

INCIDENT: David Brooks collided with Marc Cucurella off the ball and referee Robert Jones was sent to the pitch monitor for a red card review. However, he decides not to send Brooks off – a first in the Premier League.

DERMOT'S VERDICT: “The VAR recommends a review because it thinks there is a possible act of violent behavior.

“I wonder if VAR thought Brooks pulled Cucurella's hair. It looks like his hair has been pulled.

“Brooks actually grabs the front of Cucurella's shirt. The referee looked at it for a long time and discussed it.

“He came to the conclusion that Brooks had pulled up the top of his shirt which is why you get the clothesline effect. The referee called it reckless and not violent because it was a shirt grab.

“His view was that he stopped a promising attack. It wasn't violent behavior – he didn't grab his hair or his throat.”

'Jones studied the incident and did not kneel'

Dermot Gallagher on Rob Jones' decision not to send David Brooks off:

“I think Brooks grabs Cucurello by the top of his shirt. That shows the shirt coming off. I wonder if that gives VAR the impression that he grabbed him by the hair.

“It's all about whether he grabbed him by the top of his shirt or by the neck? The referee looked and looked. Rob Jones didn't kneel down and give him a red card. He studied it.”

'Brooks could have broken Kukurelli's jaw'

Sky Sports' Paul Merson on the Brooks-Cucurella incident:

“He could have easily broken his jaw, it was dangerous. If a player is in danger, I thought it was red. I see nothing but (red).

“He came over and watched it himself, I don't see how he didn't give the red. I was amazed. They dodged a bullet there at Bournemouth for me.”

Did Cucurella provoke Brooks?

INCIDENT: Marc Cucurella collided with David Brooks in an off-the-ball incident during the first half that left Bournemouth on the deck.

DERMOT SAYS: “Cucurella was very sweet because he was doing it behind Rob Jones. The assistant could be looking offside because the ball went through. Cucurella saw his chance and blocked Brooks. If the referee sees that, he gets a yellow card.

“It was quite some time after (the second incident). There was also half-time. A lot happens between that incident and the 53rd minute.”

'It's a clumsy procedure – an easy decision to make'

INCIDENT: Bournemouth are awarded a penalty when Moises Caicedo brings down Antoine Semenyo.

DERMOT SAYS: It's a clumsy clearance, he doesn't get the ball, the referee (Robert Jones) is in a perfect position – it's easy to give if you have the right view as he takes his leg away and the ball is a trail, he has no movement.

'VAR can't get involved in Arsenal's corner – it's not in his jurisdiction'

INCIDENT: Arsenal are awarded a corner despite the ball appearing to go past their winger Leandro Trossard. Gabriel then scores the winner against Tottenham in a set piece – but why didn't VAR (Peter Bankes) get involved?

DERMOT SAYS: “This is a real shame because it's about the consequences. The referee (Simon Hooper) makes the decision from where he is, he doesn't see the ball hit Trossard, which it definitely did, he gets the last touch, it should be a goal kick.

“A corner kick comes, if it goes out of play we don't talk about it, but it goes into the net and suddenly the consequences grow.

“VAR can't award anything but red cards, penalties, goals, mistaken identities – they can't restart, so it's beyond their remit at the moment. Whether that will come in years to come, I don't know.

“As far as Simon Hooper is concerned, he may have felt that when he hit Trossard he was actually out of bounds, but he wasn't. There's no doubt about that, it's a factual decision.”

'The most frustrating rule in football'

INCIDENT: Wolves' Santiago Bueno scores from a corner but it is ruled out by VAR for handball.

DERMOT SAYS: “This is the most frustrating rule in football for neutral fans. The law is that if the ball hits the scorer's hand, it's off limits. The referee didn't see it.”

Should Everton have been awarded a penalty in defeat to Villa?

INCIDENT: Everton were denied a penalty after Dominic Calvert-Lewin was wrestled to the ground by Youri Tielemans.

DERMOT SAYS: It's interesting. Is that a foul? Does it hold? Is another player fouled? If the referee (Samuel Barrott) had awarded a penalty, I think it would have been disallowed for a foul on the goalkeeper. He's blocked when the ball comes in, he (Abdoulaye Doucoure) puts it back straight at him.

'The judge was very calm'

INCIDENT: Trent Alexander-Arnold kicks the ball and appears to catch Elliot Anderson. The incident is dismissed.

DERMOT SAYS: He didn't catch it much and the umpire handled it well. The Forest players did not cause a problem and that helped the referee. The judge was very calm.