Dyche 'stunned' by 'bizarre' VAR calls in 'easy' game to officiate
It was a 'bad day at the office' for match officials - Dyche
Forest's manager Sean Dyche expressed frustration with the officials over several "bizarre" decisions in his side's narrow last-gasp 2-1 loss by Manchester City.
The manager believed Rayan Cherki's 83rd-minute winner at the City Ground deserved to be ruled out for a infringement on Morgan Gibbs-White in the build-up.
He also thought that referee Rob Jones should have shown City defender Ruben Dias a second yellow card in the second half.
"It was, to my mind, an incredibly easy match to ref and a clear-cut decision for the video assistant," Dyche stated.
"When you played so well, to come in and have to talk about officials affecting the game - but they clearly did.
"Every supporter in the ground and every viewer at home witnessed it."
Should Cherki's winner have been ruled out?
Sean Dyche has won four of his nine Premier League games in charge of Nottingham Forest
Positioned precariously above the drop zone, a point against an dominant City side would have moved Forest further away from the relegation places.
But Cherki shattered their aspirations as he drilled in a half-volley, blasting the ball from the edge of the box past Gibbs-White.
Forest players were immediately protested to referee Jones, arguing that Gibbs-White had been knocked over by Nico O'Reilly and stopped from blocking Cherki's strike.
"Morgan Gibbs-White is obviously shoved to the ground, and that very player then impedes the shot," Dyche explained.
"But he can't block it because as he jumps up, it goes through the bit of his body which he would have blocked it with. Whichever way you look at it it's a foul."
The VAR checked the goal, but ultimately allowed Jones' on-field decision to stand.
Dyche added: "Their defense may be, 'The ball was elsewhere'. But then you ask, 'If you foul a goalkeeper when the ball is not close, would that be given?'.
"It's universally understood to be a foul. I am perplexed. To then concede from that sequence is a real double blow.
"I fully endorse VAR technology - I am at a loss to explain how such a clear error was made."
The Forest player protested to the referee, insisting he was fouled prior to the winning strike
Was Dias fortunate to avoid a second yellow?
Dyche was also unhappy about Jones' decision not to send Dias off.
The experienced defender received a first yellow card for dissent in the first half, complaining about a decision against him after his challenge on Igor Jesus.
Immediately after halftime, Dias tripped Igor Jesus again as the Forest forward was breaking upfield.
"They say it's an accident. If that's an accident when he's running through on goal we all know what happens. You get a red card. So why is it an accident and he isn't yellow carded then?" Dyche questioned.
"It's absolutely perplexing to me. These are straightforward calls. Issue the second caution, that's all. 'Leave the pitch'. I am totally dumbfounded."
Jones awarded Forest a free-kick but disregarded appeals by Igor Jesus and other Forest players to show Dias a second booking.
