Overall, it seems that the decision not to send off David Brooks was based on the referee’s interpretation of the incident as a reckless grab of the shirt rather than a violent act. It’s interesting to see how VAR plays a role in these decisions and how referees ultimately have the final say on the field. In this case, it was a unique moment in Premier League history, but one that was carefully considered by the officials involved.
Overall, it seems that there was controversy surrounding the incident between David Brooks and Marc Cucurella during the match. While some, like Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca, felt that Brooks could have seriously injured Cucurella and should have been shown a red card, others, like Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola, believed that Cucurella had provoked Brooks and that the lack of a red card was justified. The VAR review ultimately determined that Brooks would not be sent off, leading to further debate and differing opinions on the matter.