Dyche 'stunned' by 'bizarre' VAR calls in 'easy' game to officiate
The manager said it was a 'bad day at the office' for the referees
Forest's head coach Sean Dyche expressed frustration with the officials over several "perplexing" decisions in his side's narrow last-gasp 2-1 loss by City.
Dyche felt Rayan Cherki's late winner at the City Ground deserved to be ruled out for a push on Morgan Gibbs-White during the attacking phase.
He further contended that referee Rob Jones should have shown City defender Ruben Dias a dismissal in the second half.
"Such an easy game to referee, in my opinion, such an easy decision for VAR [video assistant referee]," Dyche said.
"After performing so admirably, to have to discuss match officials influencing the result is frustrating - yet they undeniably did.
"Everyone in the stadium and everyone watching at home could see that."
Was Cherki's winning goal legitimate?
The Forest boss has claimed four wins in his nine top-flight games at the helm
Hovering just above the relegation zone, a point against an in-form City side would have moved Forest a more comfortable six points ahead from the relegation places.
But Cherki crushed their hopes as he drilled in a half-volley, striking the ball from the edge of the box beyond Gibbs-White.
Forest players were immediately protested to referee Jones, contending that Gibbs-White had been pushed to the ground 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 examined the play, but in the end upheld 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?'.
"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 also unhappy about Jones' decision not to send Dias off.
The Portugal defender received a booking for dissent in the first half, complaining about a decision against him following his challenge on Igor Jesus.
Immediately after halftime, Dias tripped Igor Jesus again as the Forest forward was advancing with the ball.
"It's deemed unintentional. Yet an accidental foul denying a clear chance is a red. So why is this different and not a second yellow?" Dyche asked.
"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.
