Nottingham Forest: Forest ask for VAR audio after Manchester City defeat

Nottingham Forest have asked for the VAR audio as they consider making a formal complaint following the defeat by Manchester City.

The club are extremely unhappy with referee Rob Jones’ decisions during Saturday’s 2-1 loss at the City Ground.

Forest have gone to the referees’ body – the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) – to ask to hear the conversations between on-pitch officials and the video assistant referee team during key moments of the match.

Head coach Sean Dyche felt Rayan Cherki’s 83rd-minute winner should have been ruled out for a foul on Morgan Gibbs-White, and that Jones should have shown City defender Ruben Dias a second yellow card after the break.

“Such an easy game to referee, in my opinion, such an easy decision for VAR,” Dyche said on Saturday.

“When you played so well, to come in and have to talk about officials affecting the game – but they clearly did.

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

Forest players complained to referee Jones, arguing Gibbs-White had been pushed by Nico O’Reilly while defending a corner and therefore stopped from blocking Cherki’s winner.

“Morgan Gibbs-White quite clearly gets pushed to the floor and the same player is involved in blocking the ball,” Dyche said.

“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 allowed Jones’ on-field decision to stand. Defeat left Forest five points above the Premier League’s relegation zone.

The PGMOL has previously played audio privately to clubs – including Forest – while PGMOL chief refereeing officer Howard Webb also discusses incidents on the Mic’d Up programme.