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 was critical of the officials over a series of "bizarre" decisions in his side's late 2-1 defeat by City.
Dyche felt Rayan Cherki's 83rd-minute winner at the City Ground deserved to be ruled out for a push on Morgan Gibbs-White in the build-up.
He further contended that referee Rob Jones ought to have shown City defender Ruben Dias a second yellow card in the second half.
"Such an easy game to referee, in my opinion, such an easy decision for VAR [video assistant referee]," 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."
Was Cherki's winning goal legitimate?
The Forest boss has claimed four wins in his nine top-flight games at the helm
Sitting just outside the bottom three, a point against an high-flying City side would have moved Forest six points clear from the relegation places.
But Cherki crushed their hopes 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, claiming that Gibbs-White had been pushed to the ground by Nico O'Reilly and unable to blocking Cherki's strike.
"Morgan Gibbs-White quite clearly gets pushed to the floor and the same player is involved in blocking the ball," Dyche explained.
"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 checked the goal, but in the end upheld Jones' on-field decision to stand.
Dyche continued: "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 am a strong supporter of VAR - I cannot comprehend how they missed that."
Gibbs-White remonstrated with official Jones, claiming a foul before the decisive goal
Ought Dias have been sent off?
Dyche was also unhappy about Jones' decision not to send Dias off.
The Portugal defender received a initial caution for dissent in the first half, arguing about a decision against him after his challenge on Igor Jesus.
Straight after the restart, Dias fouled Igor Jesus again as the Forest forward was driving forward.
"It's deemed unintentional. Yet an accidental foul denying a clear chance is a red. So why is this different and not a second yellow?" Dyche asked.
"I find it utterly strange, truly. These are simple decisions. Show the second yellow, job done. 'You're off'. I am completely astonished."
Jones awarded Forest a free-kick but disregarded appeals by Igor Jesus and other Forest players to show Dias a second booking.
