Ex-top referee Dermot Gallagher assesses the controversial moments from the midweek action, including the first time in Premier League history that a referee has rejected a red card on the pitch monitor.
INCIDENT: David Brooks collides with Marc Cucurella without the ball and referee Robert Jones is sent to the field monitor for a red card. However, he decides not to send Brooks off – a first in the Premier League.
DERMOT'S VERDICT: “The VAR recommends a review because he believes there may be violent behavior.
'I wonder if the VAR thought Brooks pulled Cucurella's hair. It looks like his hair has been pulled back.
“Brooks actually grabs the front of Cucurella's shirt. The referee looked at it for a long time and talked about it.
“He came to the conclusion that Brooks was pulling on the top of his shirt, which gives you the clothesline effect. The referee deemed it reckless rather than violent because it was a grab for the shirt.
“He felt it stopped a promising attack. It wasn't violent behavior; he wasn't grabbing his hair or his throat.”
'Jones studied incidents and made no reflexes'
Dermot Gallagher on Rob Jones' decision not to send off David Brooks:
“I think Brooks is grabbing Cucurella by the top of his shirt. By doing that he is showing that the shirt is coming out. I wonder if that gives the impression to the VAR that he has grabbed him by the hair. “
“The point is did he grab him by the top of the shirt or by the throat? The referee looked and looked. Rob Jones didn't give him a red card. He studied it.”
'Brooks could have broken Cucurella'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 can't see anything but [a red].
“He went there himself and looked at it for himself. I don't understand how he didn't give a red card. I was surprised. For me they dodged a bullet there in Bournemouth.”
Did Cucurella challenge Brooks?
INCIDENT: Marc Cucurella collided with David Brooks in an off-the-ball incident during the first half, leaving the Bournemouth striker on the deck.
DERMOT SAYS: “Cucurella was very cute because he did it behind Rob Jones' back. The assistant could have looked offside because the ball went through. Cucurella saw his chance and blocked Brooks. If the referee sees it, then receives a yellow card.
“It was a long time later [the second incident]. There was also a rest break. A lot happens between that incident and the 53rd minute.”
'It's a clumsy tackle, an easy decision'
INCIDENT: Bournemouth are awarded a penalty when Moises Caicedo brings down Antoine Semenyo.
DERMOT SAYS: It's a clumsy tackle, he doesn't get the ball, the referee [Robert Jones] is in the perfect position – easy to give if you have the right view, while he takes his leg away and the ball is the clue, he doesn't move.
'VAR is not allowed to interfere with Arsenal corner – does not fall under his jurisdiction'
INCIDENT: Arsenal are awarded a corner despite the ball appearing to go out of winger Leandro Trossard. Gabriel then scores the winner against Tottenham on set piece – but why did the VAR [Peter Bankes] not participate?
DERMOT SAYS: “This is a real shame because it's all about consequences. The referee [Simon Hooper] makes the decision from where he is, he doesn't see the ball hitting Trossard, which he certainly does, he gets the final touch, it should be a goal kick.
“The corner comes over, if it's knocked out of play we don't talk about it, but it goes into the net and suddenly the consequences become greater.
“The VAR cannot award anything other than red cards, penalties, goals and mistaken identity. They cannot make restarts, so that is currently outside their jurisdiction. I don't know whether that will happen in the coming years.” .
“For Simon Hooper, he may have felt that when it hit Trossard he was effectively off the field, but he wasn't. There's no doubt about it, it's a factual decision.”
'The most frustrating rule in football'
INCIDENT: Wolves' Santiago Bueno scores from a corner but 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 touches the goal scorer's hand it is not allowed. The referee did not see it.”
Should Everton have been awarded a penalty after the defeat against 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 it a violation? Does he hold on? Is a foul made on another player? As the referee [Samuel Barrott] If he had given a penalty, I think it would have been disallowed because of a foul on the goalkeeper. He is hindered when the ball comes over, he [Abdoulaye Doucoure] walks right into him.
'The referee was very calm'
INCIDENT: Trent Alexander-Arnold hits the ball and appears to catch Elliot Anderson. The incident is dismissed.
DERMOT SAYS: He didn't catch him much and the referee handled it well. The Forest players didn't make a problem of it and that helped the referee. The referee was very composed.
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