Nottingham Forest Alleges Referee Bias Towards Rival Team Following Premier League Loss

Nottingham Forest recently made a social media post accusing a Premier League refereeing official of showing favoritism towards relegation rival Luton Town. This came after Forest's 2-0 loss to Everton on Sunday.

During the match, Forest believed that they should have been awarded penalties in three different instances. They felt that penalties should have been given for handball, as well as fouls on Forest players Giovanni Reyna and Callum Hudson-Odoi.

Referee Anthony Taylor did not give any penalties for the three incidents. His decisions were supported by video assistant referee (VAR) Stuart Attwell, the official Forest accused of favoring Luton. This has caused controversy among fans.

As a result of the defeat, Forest is now just one point ahead of Luton in the 18th position, which is the final relegation place. There are only four matches left in the season, adding pressure on both teams to secure their place in the league.

The club expressed their frustration on X, previously known as Twitter, about three penalties that were not given in the game. They stated, "Three extremely poor decisions - three penalties not given - which we simply cannot accept." Additionally, the club had warned the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) that the VAR supporting Luton was biased before the match, but no action was taken.

Due to the repeated challenges to their patience, NFFC will now be exploring their available options.

CNN has learnt that the English Football Association is investigating the post.

CNN has reached out to the PGMOL, the Premier League and Forest offering the opportunity for comment.

We pundit and former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher agreed that the officials had got the decisions wrong but called Forest’s statement “embarrassing.”

Forest accused Stuart Attwell of being a Luton Town fan.

Forest accused Stuart Attwell of being a Luton Town fan.

Catherine Ivill/Getty Images

During post-match coverage on Sunday, he expressed his thoughts on the current status of the Premier League and its clubs. He mentioned that Attwell and Taylor had a disappointing performance that day and deserved criticism. However, he found the comments from Nottingham Forest to be embarrassing, comparing it to something a fan would say in a pub.

Former Manchester United defender and fellow pundit Gary Neville described the statement as "horrendous."

“He said it lets the proud history of that club down and the implied cheating is just absurd. The suggestion that the official is a Luton Town fan is absolutely ridiculous,” he added. “I don’t even understand what ‘explore all options’ means.”

Forest also released another statement on Monday, stating that they have formally requested the PGMOL to release the audio between Taylor and Attwell.

The statement read that the club wants to share three important match incidents involving Ashley Young - his challenge on Giovanni Reyna in the 24th minute, handball in the 44th minute, and challenge on Callum Hudson-Odoi in the 56th minute.

The club strongly believes that the football community and fans should have access to the audio and transcript for complete transparency, in order to uphold the integrity of our sport.

Former Premier League referee Mark Clattenburg, who now serves as a refereeing consultant for Forest, strongly supported the club's statement in his weekly column for Britain's Daily Mail newspaper.

Nottingham Forest felt victimized after a defeat where three crucial errors occurred. Mark Clattenburg commented on the situation, stating that one error would have been bad enough, but three was a joke.

The club released a statement expressing their concern about the referee, Attwell, who is a Luton fan. They contacted the PGMOL to highlight that it was not suitable for him to play a significant role in a match that could affect the relegation race.

If I were the head of the referees, I would not have taken the risk in this situation. The whole issue could have been prevented if the PGMOL had made wiser decisions in their appointments.

Referees do not intentionally make mistakes, but watching this unfold was truly bewildering. Only Attwell knows why he did not instruct Taylor to review the footage on the screen.

Callum Hudson-Odoi calls for a penalty after a challenge from Ashley Young.

Callum Hudson-Odoi calls for a penalty after a challenge from Ashley Young.

In 2023, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp faced consequences for questioning a match official's integrity. He received a two-match suspension and was fined by the FA for suggesting bias from a referee in his post-match remarks.

In 2016, Keith Hackett, the former PGMOL head, mentioned to the BBC that referees undergo an "audit" of their background information before each season starts.

According to Hackett, referees are required to fill out a form that includes details such as their favorite team, playing history, and current address.

“That gives you a picture that comes into use when you’re appointing. It’s about ensuring, for example, you wouldn’t appoint a Sheffield-based ref for a Sheffield team.”

Editor's P/S:

The controversy surrounding Nottingham Forest's accusations against referee Anthony Taylor and VAR official Stuart Attwell highlights the intense pressure and scrutiny faced by referees in the Premier League. The club's public expression of frustration over perceived biased officiating has sparked a debate about the integrity of the game and the role of officials in ensuring fair play. While it is understandable that teams may feel aggrieved by decisions that go against them, the inflammatory language used by Forest could potentially undermine the authority of referees and create a hostile environment for them.

The article also raises questions about the appointment process for referees and the potential for conflicts of interest. The revelation that referees are required to disclose their favorite teams raises concerns about whether unconscious bias could influence their decision-making. The FA's investigation into Forest's post will likely shed light on the club's claims and the PGMOL's handling of the situation. It is crucial that the integrity of the game is upheld and that referees are able to perform their duties without undue pressure or suspicion.