Premier League history at Chelsea: Referee refused to send off Bournemouth's David Brooks for Marc Cucurella clash despite VAR intervention in major first

The controversy unfolded shortly after Bournemouth’s Justin Kluivert had equalised in the second half. Marc Cucurella, attempting to initiate a counter-attack for Chelsea, was abruptly brought down by Brooks by his hair. Referee Robert Jones was directed to the pitch-side monitor for a closer look. After a thorough review, Jones determined that the incident constituted reckless play rather than violent conduct and issued a yellow card instead of a red.

It was a historic moment as it was the first time in the Premier League that a referee turned down a VAR referral for a red card. Moreover, it is the first VAR rejection in this campaign by an on-field official.

The decision left Chelsea players bewildered as many felt the challenge warranted a more severe punishment. Reece James reflected on the situation after the match and said: "When the referee takes a look at the monitor then it's never a good sign. There are positives to take away from the game but there are negatives as well. It's mixed emotions."

However, the Premier League’s Match Centre offered a swift explanation on social media to clarify the decision:

"VAR recommended an on-field review for a possible red card to Brooks for violent conduct. Upon review, the referee deemed that the challenge on Cucurella was a reckless action and not violent conduct – and issued a yellow card to Brooks."

Chelsea will now turn their focus to their next Premier League fixture against Wolves on Monday.