Nottingham Forest expressed their frustration at the officiating in their match against Everton, claiming that they were on the receiving end of three incorrect penalty decisions. They also criticized the involvement of VAR Stuart Attwell, alleging that he is a fan of their relegation rivals, Luton Town.

The club stated that they had warned the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) about Attwell’s allegiance to Luton but he was not replaced. As a result, they are now considering their options.

The controversy arose from two incidents involving Everton’s Ashley Young, where he was alleged to have handled the ball in the penalty area, but no penalty was given. Additionally, Blues defender James Tarkowski was involved in another incident where he also avoided conceding a penalty for handball.

This series of events led to frustration from Forest as they suffered a 2-0 defeat at Goodison Park, causing a four-point gap to open up between them and Everton in the table. Former player Jamie Carragher criticized the officiating, acknowledging the poor decisions made by the referees.

However, he also condemned Nottingham Forest’s claim about Stuart Attwell’s allegiance, describing it as embarrassing and suggesting that the club should show more class. He emphasized the need to refrain from such comments and expressed understanding for the frustrations while maintaining professionalism.

In addition to their concerns about the match, Nottingham Forest’s message included an invitation to join their WhatsApp community to receive Mirror Football content and special offers. This also extended an option to opt out if not interested, and a reference to their Privacy Notice for those seeking more information.