Nottingham Forest Requests VAR Audio Following Controversial Loss to Manchester City

Nottingham Forest finds itself five points clear of the Premier League relegation zone following a disappointing defeat at home against Manchester City.

In the wake of the match, Forest has formally requested access to the VAR audio as they contemplate lodging an official complaint regarding the officiating by referee Rob Jones during the 2-1 loss on Saturday at the City Ground.

The club expressed significant dissatisfaction with Jones’ decisions, particularly regarding Rayan Cherki’s 83rd-minute winner, which head coach Sean Dyche believes should have been disallowed due to a foul on Morgan Gibbs-White. Dyche also contended that City defender Ruben Dias should have received a second yellow card after the break.

“In my opinion, it was a straightforward game to referee, and an easy call for VAR,” Dyche stated after the match. “It’s disappointing to have to address how officiating influenced the game, but it clearly did. The situation was evident to everyone in the stadium and those watching at home.”

Forest players voiced their concerns to referee Jones, asserting that Gibbs-White was pushed by Nico O’Reilly during a corner, which impeded his ability to block Cherki’s winning goal. Dyche emphasized, “Morgan Gibbs-White was clearly pushed to the ground, which prevented him from interfering with the ball. No matter how you look at it, it’s a foul.”

Although VAR reviewed the goal, it ultimately upheld Jones’ on-field decision. The defeat leaves Nottingham Forest precariously positioned five points above the relegation zone.

Historically, the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) has shared audio privately with clubs, including Nottingham Forest, while PGMOL chief refereeing officer Howard Webb has discussed various incidents on the Mic’d Up program. Dyche reflected on the match officials’ performance, labeling it as a “bad day at the office.”

Regarding City’s pivotal goal, Dyche remarked, “They’ll argue that the ball wasn’t near the keeper, but if you push the keeper down regardless of the ball’s position, that should constitute a foul. It’s perplexing, especially since they scored from it. I am a strong proponent of VAR, yet I cannot fathom how this decision wasn’t rectified.”

Former official Darren Cann commented on BBC Match of the Day that the VAR deemed no “clear and obvious” error had occurred in the goal’s validation. He noted, “This decision may provoke differing opinions; some will believe it was a legitimate goal, while others will claim it was a foul. Therefore, the referee’s call should prevail.”

Nottingham Forest’s discontent with referee Jones isn’t new; he previously sent off Willy Boly against Bournemouth two years ago, which led then-manager Nuno Espirito Santo to advocate for VAR intervention regarding second yellow cards. Last season, Jones also dismissed Nuno for dissent during a match against Brighton, an incident that resulted in charges from the Football Association.