When assessing DOGSO referees are told to imagine the scenario without the defender at the point of the foul.
The ball was in front of Thiago, there was no other defender in close proximity and play was a few yards outside the area.
Thiago would surely have collected the ball, run forward a few yards and taken a shot.
That Romero came away with the ball has probably given the VAR some doubts that Thiago would take control. It gave the perception that play would not have continued forward.
However, this happens after the foul and the ball only stopped because Romero landed on it. A DOGSO red card appears to be the more logical outcome.
While the ball did touch Romero’s arm it was accidental and would not be considered handball.
It could have been Romero’s third red card in under a month.
Andrews was annoyed that Romero was not sent off when the two teams met on 6 December. Again the Argentine defender had made a challenge on Thiago.
It was a scissors-style tackle which Andrews felt was a “very easy one” for the officials.
The Premier League’s Key Match Incidents Panel voted 3-2 that Romero should have been sent off by referee Rob Jones. But it was a 4-1 vote that the VAR, Tim Wood, was right not to intervene and advise a red card.
Romero was sent off for two yellow cards against Liverpool on 20 December.
