The Premier League’s Independent Key Match Incidents Panel has issued its ruling on the contentious match between Nottingham Forest and Everton, concluding that only one out of three incidents contested by Forest constituted a VAR error.
Following Forest’s 2-0 defeat at Everton on April 21, the club voiced vehement objections to a series of penalty decisions that went against them. In particular, they raised concerns about the impartiality of VAR Stuart Attwell, alleging his support for Luton Town, who were then embroiled in a relegation battle with both clubs.
In a statement on Twitter, Forest criticized the decisions as “extremely poor,” highlighting three penalty incidents that were not awarded in their favor. The club also expressed dissatisfaction with the appointment of Attwell and hinted at considering further actions.
The Football Association (FA) has launched an investigation into Forest’s initial tweet, along with comments made by manager Nuno Espirito Santo, defender Neco Williams, and former Premier League referee Mark Clattenburg, who serves as a consultant for Forest.
However, the panel’s findings, obtained by ESPN, revealed that only one of Forest’s penalty claims was deemed valid. The panel unanimously agreed that a penalty should have been awarded for a foul committed by Ashley Young on Callum Hudson-Odoi in the second half.
Regarding the incidents involving Ashley Young’s challenge on Giovanni Reyna and a subsequent handball, the panel concluded that neither warranted a VAR intervention. They deemed Reyna’s contact with Young to be minimal and exaggerated, falling below the threshold for a penalty. Similarly, they determined that Young’s handball did not meet the criteria for a penalty, despite a split decision on referee Anthony Taylor’s initial call.
However, the panel unanimously agreed that Young’s challenge on Hudson-Odoi constituted a foul, resulting in a missed penalty decision by the officials.
Comprising former players, coaches, and representatives from the Premier League and PGMOL, the panel was established to provide an independent assessment of major match incidents. Its rulings aim to offer impartial evaluations of decision-making, independent of the views of PGMOL or the clubs involved.
As the fallout from the match continues, the panel’s findings shed light on the complexities of officiating in high-stakes football encounters, emphasizing the importance of independent scrutiny in maintaining the integrity of the game.
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