Nottingham Forest's owner, Evangelos Marinakis, delivered a furious dressing-room inquest following his side's controversial 2-0 defeat to Everton, a match marred by a staggering three penalty claims waved away by VAR.
The Greek shipping magnate confronted manager Nuno Espirito Santo and his stunned players after the final whistle at Goodison Park, demanding an explanation for the loss and the officiating 'nightmare' that unfolded. The club's rage was so intense that sporting director Filippo Giraldi was reportedly sent to confront referee Anthony Taylor and his team after they left the pitch.
A Trio of Denied Penalties Sparks Fury
The heart of Forest's fury lies in three separate first-half incidents where they felt they were denied clear penalties. The most egregious, in their view, was a challenge by Toffees' defender Ashley Young on Giovanni Reyna, which many pundits and fans alike believed was a certain spot-kick.
Young was also at the centre of another controversy, appearing to handle the ball in his own area, while a later incident involving Callum Hudson-Odoi added to the sense of injustice. The fact that not a single one of these incidents was deemed worthy of an on-field review by VAR official Stuart Attwell has left the club feeling utterly aggrieved.
Formal Complaint Lodged with PGMOL
The fallout has been immediate and severe. Nottingham Forest have taken the extraordinary step of filing a formal complaint with the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL), the body responsible for Premier League referees.
In a statement, the club declared the officiating 'unacceptable' and expressed their belief that they were on the receiving end of 'three extremely poor decisions' which they had explicitly warned the PGMOL about before the match. This suggests a pre-existing concern about the appointment of Attwell, who is allegedly a supporter of Luton Town—a club also locked in the relegation battle with Forest and Everton.
The defeat leaves Nuno Espirito Santo's team perilously close to the drop zone, making the perceived points loss due to officiating errors a potentially catastrophic blow in their fight for survival.
