Manager Dyche left 'stunned' over 'bizarre' VAR decisions in straightforward match
The manager said it was a 'bad day at the office' for the referees
Nottingham Forest head coach Sean Dyche expressed frustration with the officials over some "perplexing" decisions in his side's late 2-1 defeat by City.
Dyche was convinced that Rayan Cherki's 83rd-minute winner at the City Ground deserved to be ruled out for a foul on Morgan Gibbs-White prior to the shot.
He further contended that referee Rob Jones should have shown City defender Ruben Dias a second caution in the second half.
"In my view, it was such a simple game to officiate, a very straightforward call for VAR," 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
Positioned precariously above the drop zone, a point against an high-flying City side would have moved Forest further away from the relegation places.
But Cherki shattered their aspirations 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 instantly remonstrated to referee Jones, claiming that Gibbs-White had been knocked over 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 said.
"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 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?'.
"We all know it is. I can't work it out. And then they score from it, which is the double whammy.
"I fully endorse VAR technology - I am at a loss to explain how such a clear error was made."
Gibbs-White remonstrated with official Jones, claiming a foul before the decisive goal
Should Dias have seen red?
Dyche was further angered about Jones' decision not to send Dias off.
The experienced defender received a first yellow card for dissent in the first half, protesting about a decision against him following his challenge on Igor Jesus.
Immediately after halftime, Dias tripped Igor Jesus again as the Forest forward was breaking upfield.
"The argument is it was accidental. But if that's an accidental foul when through on goal, it's a sending-off. So how can it be accidental yet not warrant a booking?" Dyche questioned.
"It's absolutely perplexing to me. These are straightforward calls. Issue the second caution, that's all. 'Leave the pitch'. I am totally dumbfounded."
Jones awarded Forest a free-kick but overlooked pleas by Igor Jesus and other Forest players to show Dias a dismissal.
