Nottingham Forest issue extraordinary statement accusing Luton-supporting VAR of bias

Nottingham Forest said will consider their options after complaining they should have been awarded three penalties in their 2-0 defeat to Everton.

Forest, who have voiced a series of grievances about the officiating this season, insisted they had had “warned” PGMOL, the referees’ body, before the match that the VAR, Stuart Attwell, supports their relegation rivals Luton Town, and asked them to appoint another official instead.

Idrissa Gueye and Dwight McNeil scored for Everton while Forest thought they should have had spot kicks for a handball by Ashley Young and a challenge by the veteran on Callum Hudson-Odoi. The third offence for which Forest believed they deserved a penalty is unknown.

But the club tweeted: “Three extremely poor decisions – three penalties not given – which we simply cannot accept. We warned the PGMOL that the VAR is a Luton fan before the game but they didn’t change him. Our patience has been tested multiple times. NFFC will now consider its options.”

The FA has confirmed it will investigate Forest’s tweet.

Forest have appointed the former Premier League referee Mark Clattenburg as a consultant at the club this season and have made a series of written complaints to PGMOL.

Speaking on Sky Sports, Jamie Carragher was highly criticial of Forest’s statement.

“That’s like a fan in the pub,” he said. “That’s embarrassing from Nottingham Forest. Rubbish about ‘the VAR is a Luton fan’. You can’t get involved in that. You’ve got to show a little bit of class if you’re a football club. I get the frustration, the officials have an awful day. But that’s nonsense.”