Nottingham Forest Requests VAR Audio Following Loss to Manchester City

Concerns Raised by Nottingham Forest

Nottingham Forest has formally requested access to the VAR audio following their recent match against Manchester City, as they contemplate filing a complaint regarding the officiating decisions during the game. The team experienced significant dissatisfaction with referee Rob Jones’s choices during the 2-1 defeat at their home ground, the City Ground.

Official Request to PGMOL

The club has reached out to the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) to review the discussions between the field officials and the VAR team during crucial moments of the match.

Head coach Sean Dyche expressed that Rayan Cherki’s decisive goal in the 83rd minute should have been disallowed due to a foul on Morgan Gibbs-White. He also highlighted that Jones missed the opportunity to issue a second yellow card to City’s defender, Ruben Dias, during the second half.

“It should have been an easy game to officiate, and decisions should have been straightforward for VAR,” Dyche stated. “It’s disappointing that we have to discuss how officials impacted the game, but that was clearly the case.”

Player Reactions and Incidents

Forest’s players voiced their concerns to Jones, claiming that Gibbs-White was pushed by Nico O’Reilly while trying to defend a corner, which consequently affected his ability to challenge for Cherki’s goal.

Dyche commented on this incident, stating, “Morgan clearly gets shoved to the ground, and the same player blocks the ball. He simply couldn’t impede the shot because of the push. No matter how one looks at it, that should be a foul.”

Despite a VAR review of the goal, Jones’s on-field decision was upheld, and the defeat left Nottingham Forest precariously five points above the relegation zone in the Premier League.

Previous Interactions with PGMOL

PGMOL has consented to privately share audio from official reviews with clubs in the past, including Nottingham Forest. PGMOL’s chief refereeing officer, Howard Webb, has also addressed similar situations in the Mic’d Up program.

Further Clarification from Dyche

In relation to the goal scored by City, Dyche remarked, “They may argue that the ball wasn’t in a dangerous position. However, if a player pushes the goalkeeper down when the ball is not close, does that not constitute a foul?”

He added, “We’re all aware that would be deemed a foul, and then they managed to score from it, which is incredibly frustrating.”

Dyche reiterated his support for VAR but could not comprehend how such a crucial decision could have been mishandled.

Opinions from Former Officials

Darren Cann, a former official, shared his thoughts on BBC Match of the Day, stating, “The VAR assessed the goal and determined that no ‘clear and obvious’ error was present. I concur with their assessment. This decision may evoke mixed feelings—some may view it as a legitimate goal, while others may see a foul. Hence, the referee’s ruling should remain.”

This incident is not the first time Nottingham Forest has had issues with Jones; two years ago, a controversial red card handed to Willy Boly against Bournemouth led to former manager Nuno Espirito Santo urging for VAR intervention on second yellow cards.