Dyche 'stunned' by 'bizarre' VAR calls in 'easy' game to officiate
It was a 'bad day at the office' for match officials - Dyche
Forest's head coach 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 should have been ruled out for a push on Morgan Gibbs-White in the build-up.
He also thought that referee Rob Jones should 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 stated.
"After performing so admirably, to have to discuss match officials influencing the result is frustrating - yet they undeniably did.
"It was plain for all in attendance and all television audiences to see."
Should Cherki's winner have been ruled out?
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 dominant City side would have moved Forest further away 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 past Gibbs-White.
Forest players were immediately protested to referee Jones, claiming that Gibbs-White had been fouled by Nico O'Reilly and prevented from 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 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 checked the goal, but in the end upheld Jones' on-field decision to stand.
Dyche went on: "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 remonstrated with official Jones, claiming a foul before the decisive goal
Was Dias fortunate to avoid a second yellow?
Dyche was further angered about Jones' decision not to send Dias off.
The Portugal defender received a initial caution for dissent in the first half, protesting about a decision against him following his challenge on Igor Jesus.
Immediately after halftime, Dias brought down Igor Jesus again as the Forest forward was breaking upfield.
"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 gave Forest a free-kick but ignored calls by Igor Jesus and other Forest players to show Dias a second yellow card.
