🔗 Share this article

Forest's manager Sean Dyche expressed frustration with the officials over several "bizarre" decisions in his side's heartbreaking 2-1 loss by City.

The manager believed Rayan Cherki's 83rd-minute winner at the City Ground ought to have been ruled out for a foul on Morgan Gibbs-White during the attacking phase.

He additionally argued that referee Rob Jones should have shown City defender Ruben Dias a dismissal 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 remarked.

"To have played so superbly and then be forced to address how the referees impacted the match is galling, but their effect was obvious.

"Everyone in the stadium and everyone watching at home could see that."

Ought the late winner have been disallowed?

Hovering just above the relegation zone, a point against an in-form City side would have moved Forest a more comfortable six points ahead from the relegation places.

But Cherki dashed their dreams as he fired in a half-volley, striking the ball from the edge of the box beyond Gibbs-White.

Forest players were instantly remonstrated to referee Jones, contending that Gibbs-White had been fouled by Nico O'Reilly and stopped from blocking Cherki's strike.

"There's a clear push on Morgan Gibbs-White, and the identical player then becomes an obstruction," Dyche commented.

"However, he's unable to make the block because the ball travels through the space his body would have occupied. From any angle, it's a foul."

The VAR reviewed the incident, but decided to stick with Jones' on-field decision to stand.

Dyche added: "They'll say, 'Yeah, the ball wasn't there'. And you go, 'OK, so if the ball's not near the keeper and you push the keeper to the floor, is that going to be a foul then?'.

"Everyone knows it would be. I am baffled. And then they go and score from the situation, which compounds the error.

"I'm a big fan of VAR - I can't work out how you can't get that right."

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, protesting about a decision against him after his challenge on Igor Jesus.

Immediately after halftime, Dias brought down Igor Jesus again as the Forest forward was driving forward.

"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 said.

"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 ignored calls by Igor Jesus and other Forest players to show Dias a second yellow card.