Dyche 'stunned' by 'bizarre' VAR calls in 'easy' game to officiate
The manager said it was a 'bad day at the office' for the referees
Nottingham Forest manager Sean Dyche voiced his anger at the officials over several "bizarre" decisions in his side's heartbreaking 2-1 loss by City.
Dyche felt Rayan Cherki's late winner at the City Ground deserved to be ruled out for a push on Morgan Gibbs-White during the attacking phase.
He also thought that referee Rob Jones ought to 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 remarked.
"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?
The Forest boss has claimed four wins in his nine top-flight games at the helm
Hovering just above the relegation zone, 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 fired in a half-volley, blasting the ball from the edge of the box through the legs of Gibbs-White.
Forest players were quick to complain to referee Jones, contending 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 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 examined the play, but ultimately allowed 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?'.
"It's universally understood to be a foul. I am perplexed. To then concede from that sequence is a real double blow.
"I'm a big fan of VAR - I can't work out how you can't get that right."
Gibbs-White complained to referee Jones that he had been fouled in the build-up to City's late goal
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.
Early in the second period, Dias brought down 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 said.
"I just find it bizarre, I really do. And I think these are easy things. Just give him a second yellow, that's it. 'Off you go'. I'm absolutely stunned."
Jones awarded Forest a free-kick but disregarded appeals by Igor Jesus and other Forest players to show Dias a second booking.
