Nottingham Forest has expressed strong discontent over what they termed as “extremely poor” refereeing decisions during their 2-0 defeat against Everton. The club issued a highly critical statement on social media, questioning the performance of the officials, particularly the Video Assistant Referee (VAR), Stuart Attwell.
The post, shared shortly after full-time, highlighted three penalty incidents that Forest believed should have been awarded in their favor. Despite not naming the official directly, Forest criticized the decisions made by Attwell, implying bias with the remark, “the VAR is a Luton fan but they didn’t change him.”
Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo echoed the club’s sentiments, emphasizing their dissatisfaction with the referees’ decisions, which they believe have been consistently poor in recent matches. Santo stressed the importance of fair officiating and expressed frustration over the perceived injustices against his team.
The contentious penalty incidents involved Everton’s Ashley Young, with Forest feeling aggrieved over missed calls, including a challenge on Gio Reyna and a handball incident just before halftime. Despite their protests, the decisions went against Forest, further fueling their frustration.
Forest’s criticism of the referees is not an isolated incident, as the club has previously raised concerns over officiating standards. In August, they lodged a complaint following a defeat at Manchester United, and in March, their referee analyst, Mark Clattenburg, criticized officiating during a match against Liverpool.
The statement from Forest has sparked reactions from football authorities, with the Football Association (FA) investigating the matter. The club’s appeal against a points deduction for breaching financial regulations adds to their ongoing challenges, reflecting a turbulent period for the club both on and off the pitch.