'Such an easy game to ref' - Dyche 'stunned' by 'bizarre' VAR calls

Forest's head coach Sean Dyche voiced his anger at the officials over several "strange" decisions in his side's late 2-1 defeat by Manchester City.

Dyche was convinced that Rayan Cherki's late winner at the City Ground should have been ruled out for a push on Morgan Gibbs-White during the attacking phase.

He also thought that referee Rob Jones ought to 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 remarked.

"To have played so superbly and then be forced to address how the referees impacted the match is galling, but their effect was obvious.

"Every supporter in the ground and every viewer at home witnessed it."

Should Cherki's winner have been ruled out?

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

But Cherki shattered their aspirations as he fired in a half-volley, drilling the ball from the edge of the box through the legs of Gibbs-White.

Forest players were immediately protested to referee Jones, contending 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 explained.

"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 reviewed the incident, but decided to stick with Jones' on-field decision to stand.

Dyche went on: "Their defense may be, 'The ball was elsewhere'. But then you ask, 'If you foul a goalkeeper when the ball is not close, would that be given?'.

"It's universally understood to be a foul. I am perplexed. To then concede from that sequence is a real double blow.

"I am a strong supporter of VAR - I cannot comprehend how they missed that."

Should Dias have seen red?

Dyche was also unhappy about Jones' decision not to send Dias off.

The center-back received a booking for dissent in the first half, complaining about a decision against him after his challenge on Igor Jesus.

Early in the second period, Dias fouled 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 said.

"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 ignored calls by Igor Jesus and other Forest players to show Dias a second yellow card.