Dyche 'stunned' by 'bizarre' VAR calls in 'easy' game to officiate
It was a 'bad day at the office' for match officials - Dyche
Nottingham Forest manager Sean Dyche was critical of the officials over several "strange" decisions in his side's late 2-1 defeat by Manchester City.
Dyche felt Rayan Cherki's 83rd-minute winner at the City Ground ought to have been ruled out for a infringement on Morgan Gibbs-White in the build-up.
He further contended that referee Rob Jones ought to 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."
Should Cherki's winner have been ruled out?
Sean Dyche has won four of his nine Premier League games in charge of Nottingham Forest
Sitting just outside the bottom three, a point against an dominant City side would have moved Forest six points clear from the relegation places.
But Cherki dashed their dreams as he fired in a half-volley, drilling the ball from the edge of the box beyond Gibbs-White.
Forest players were immediately protested to referee Jones, arguing that Gibbs-White had been pushed to the ground by Nico O'Reilly and unable to 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 ultimately allowed Jones' on-field decision to stand.
Dyche went on: "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."
Gibbs-White remonstrated with official Jones, claiming a foul before the decisive goal
Should Dias have seen red?
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, 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 questioned.
"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.
