Manager Dyche left 'stunned' over 'bizarre' VAR decisions in straightforward match
It was a 'bad day at the office' for match officials - Dyche
Forest's head coach Sean Dyche expressed frustration with the officials over some "strange" decisions in his side's narrow last-gasp 2-1 loss by City.
Dyche was convinced that Rayan Cherki's late winner at the City Ground should have been 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 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 said.
"When you played so well, to come in and have to talk about officials affecting the game - but they clearly did.
"Everyone in the stadium and everyone watching at home could see that."
Was Cherki's winning goal legitimate?
Sean Dyche has won four of his nine Premier League games in charge of Nottingham Forest
Sitting just outside the bottom three, a point against an in-form City side would have moved Forest further away from the relegation places.
But Cherki crushed their hopes as he slammed home a half-volley, blasting the ball from the edge of the box past Gibbs-White.
Forest players were immediately protested to referee Jones, arguing that Gibbs-White had been fouled by Nico O'Reilly and unable to blocking Cherki's strike.
"There's a clear push on Morgan Gibbs-White, and the identical player then becomes an obstruction," Dyche explained.
"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 reviewed the incident, but decided to stick with Jones' on-field decision to stand.
Dyche added: "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?'.
"Everyone knows it would be. I am baffled. And then they go and score from the situation, which compounds the error.
"I'm a big fan of VAR - I can't work out how you can't get that right."
Gibbs-White complained to referee Jones that he had been fouled in the build-up to City's late goal
Ought Dias have been sent off?
Dyche was further angered about Jones' decision not to send Dias off.
The center-back received a first yellow card for dissent in the first half, complaining about a decision against him after his challenge on Igor Jesus.
Straight after the restart, Dias brought down Igor Jesus again as the Forest forward was advancing with the ball.
"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 gave Forest a free-kick but overlooked pleas by Igor Jesus and other Forest players to show Dias a second booking.
