'Such an easy game to ref' - Dyche 'stunned' by 'bizarre' VAR calls
It was a 'bad day at the office' for match officials - Dyche
Nottingham Forest manager Sean Dyche voiced his anger at the officials over some "bizarre" decisions in his side's narrow last-gasp 2-1 loss by Manchester City.
Dyche was convinced that Rayan Cherki's late winner at the City Ground deserved to be ruled out for a foul on Morgan Gibbs-White during the attacking phase.
He additionally argued that referee Rob Jones ought to have shown City defender Ruben Dias a second caution 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.
"It was plain for all in attendance and all television audiences to see."
Ought the late winner have been disallowed?
Dyche has secured four victories from nine league matches since taking over at Forest
Sitting just outside the bottom three, a point against an dominant City side would have moved Forest a more comfortable six points ahead from the relegation places.
But Cherki dashed their dreams as he drilled in a half-volley, blasting the ball from the edge of the box past Gibbs-White.
Forest players were quick to complain to referee Jones, arguing that Gibbs-White had been pushed to the ground 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 decided to stick with 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?'.
"We all know it is. I can't work it out. And then they score from it, which is the double whammy.
"I'm a big fan of VAR - I can't work out how you can't get that right."
The Forest player protested to the referee, insisting he was fouled prior to the winning strike
Ought Dias have been sent off?
Dyche was also unhappy about Jones' decision not to send Dias off.
The experienced defender received a initial caution for dissent in the first half, arguing about a decision against him following his challenge on Igor Jesus.
Straight after the restart, Dias tripped Igor Jesus again as the Forest forward was breaking upfield.
"The argument is it was accidental. But if that's an accidental foul when through on goal, it's a sending-off. So how can it be accidental yet not warrant a booking?" 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 gave Forest a free-kick but ignored calls by Igor Jesus and other Forest players to show Dias a dismissal.
