Dyche 'stunned' by 'bizarre' VAR calls in 'easy' game to officiate

Nottingham Forest head coach Sean Dyche was critical of the officials over several "perplexing" decisions in his side's narrow last-gasp 2-1 loss by Manchester City.

The manager believed Rayan Cherki's 83rd-minute winner at the City Ground should have been ruled out for a infringement on Morgan Gibbs-White in the build-up.

He also thought that referee Rob Jones ought to have shown City defender Ruben Dias a dismissal 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 remarked.

"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?

Hovering just above the relegation zone, a point against an in-form 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, claiming that Gibbs-White had been knocked over 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 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 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."

Was Dias fortunate to avoid a second yellow?

Dyche was equally incensed about Jones' decision not to send Dias off.

The experienced defender received a first yellow card for dissent in the first half, complaining about a decision against him after his challenge on Igor Jesus.

Immediately after halftime, Dias tripped 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 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 ignored calls by Igor Jesus and other Forest players to show Dias a second yellow card.