Nottingham Forest did not ask for Stuart Attwell to be taken off video assistant referee duties for their match against Everton, BBC Sport has been told.
Following their 2-0 defeat at Goodison Park on Sunday, Forest posted on X, external that they are “considering their options” over “extremely poor” refereeing decisions they felt went against them.
The club communicated to the Professional Game Match Officials Board (PGMOL) that they had “cautioned” them about the VAR’s allegiance as a Luton fan, but despite this, there was no alteration in personnel. However, BBC Sport has learned that Forest did not explicitly convey any concerns regarding Attwell’s participation.
During the Premier League match, Forest experienced frustration with three penalty claims involving Everton defender Ashley Young, none of which were adjudged in their favor.
Firstly, Forest believed Young made contact with Gio Reyna’s boot while attempting a tackle when the game was goalless. Later in the first half, a Callum Hudson-Odoi cross struck Young’s arm, prompting no penalty decision.
In the third incident, occurring after halftime, Young’s challenge on Hudson-Odoi from behind was deemed a clean tackle by the officials.
Forest posted on X after the game: “Three extremely poor decisions – three penalties not given – which we simply cannot accept.
“Our patience has been tested multiple times.”
Following a sequence of perceived unfavorable decisions, Forest enlisted the services of former referee Mark Clattenburg as their referee analyst.
And the retired official wrote a column in the Mail on Sunday in which he said Forest had been “left feeling victimised after another defeat in which zero big decisions went their way”.
The outcome leaves Forest positioned 17th in the Premier League, just one point above the relegation zone, with four matches left to play.
On Wednesday, 24 April, Forest’s appeal against their four-point deduction for violating profit and sustainability rules (PSR) will be adjudicated.