Manager Dyche left 'stunned' over 'bizarre' VAR decisions in straightforward match

Nottingham Forest head coach Sean Dyche voiced his anger at the officials over a series of "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 push on Morgan Gibbs-White in the build-up.

He also thought 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 stated.

"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."

Ought the late winner have been disallowed?

Hovering just above the relegation zone, a point against an dominant City side would have moved Forest six points clear from the relegation places.

But Cherki dashed their dreams as he slammed home a half-volley, drilling 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 pushed to the ground by Nico O'Reilly and stopped from blocking Cherki's strike.

"Morgan Gibbs-White is obviously shoved to the ground, and that very player then impedes the shot," Dyche commented.

"But he can't block it because as he jumps up, it goes through the bit of his body which he would have blocked it with. Whichever way you look at it it's a foul."

The VAR examined the play, but decided to stick with 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."

Should Dias have seen red?

Dyche was further angered about Jones' decision not to send Dias off.

The experienced 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.

"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 asked.

"I just find it bizarre, I really do. And I think these are easy things. Just give him a second yellow, that's it. 'Off you go'. I'm absolutely stunned."

Jones awarded Forest a free-kick but ignored calls by Igor Jesus and other Forest players to show Dias a dismissal.