'Such an easy game to ref' - Dyche 'stunned' by 'bizarre' VAR calls
It was a 'bad day at the office' for match officials - Dyche
Nottingham Forest head coach Sean Dyche expressed frustration with the officials over several "perplexing" decisions in his side's heartbreaking 2-1 loss by Manchester City.
Dyche felt Rayan Cherki's late winner at the City Ground should have been ruled out for a push on Morgan Gibbs-White in the build-up.
He additionally argued that referee Rob Jones should 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 said.
"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?
Dyche has secured four victories from nine league matches since taking over at Forest
Positioned precariously above the drop zone, a point against an dominant City side would have moved Forest further away 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 instantly remonstrated to referee Jones, arguing that Gibbs-White had been pushed to the ground by Nico O'Reilly and stopped 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?'.
"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."
The Forest player protested to the referee, insisting he was fouled prior to the winning strike
Should Dias have seen red?
Dyche was equally incensed 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 fouled Igor Jesus again as the Forest forward was advancing with the ball.
"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 asked.
"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 gave Forest a free-kick but ignored calls by Igor Jesus and other Forest players to show Dias a second yellow card.
