The referee analyst for Nottingham Forest, Mark Clattenburg, expressed dissatisfaction with the officiating leading up to Liverpool’s thrilling winning goal at the City Ground on Saturday.
Clattenburg further mentioned that he was denied access to the referees’ dressing room to discuss the match with Paul Tierney after the game.
Following the final whistle, Nottingham Forest players encircled Tierney, expressing their frustration over the decision to award Liverpool possession after Ibrahima Konate sustained a head injury.
At the time of the stoppage, the home team had possession of the ball. Nevertheless, Tierney resumed play with Liverpool goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher in possession.
Subsequently, Darwin Nunez netted the winning goal just one minute and 50 seconds later.
“[Forest] should have had the ball back,” Clattenburg, who took up his new role at the City Ground last month, told BBC Radio 5 Live.
“If the referee stops the game, he has to give the ball back to the team in possession. That was Forest.”
Forest coach Steven Reid received a red card for protesting against Tierney after the final whistle.
Clattenburg, who was seen alongside referees’ chief Howard Webb during Forest’s FA Cup loss to Manchester United on Wednesday, officiated in the Premier League for 13 years from 2004 to 2017.
According to the rules of the International Football Association Board (Ifab), the former referee was correct in stating that the game should have resumed with a ball belonging to Forest.
Nevertheless, this decision did not directly lead to the goal, as Forest regained possession before Nunez ultimately scored the winning goal.
“When [the ball was] given to the keeper, with Liverpool scoring afterwards, you can see why [Forest] are aggrieved,” Clattenburg continued.
“I haven’t spoken to the referee – I’ll leave that to the club. I went to go into the referee’s dressing room [after the game] but he wouldn’t allow it.”
In August, Forest filed a complaint with the referee’s organization, the PGMOL, regarding the officials’ performance in their 3-2 loss to Manchester United.
Manager Nuno Espirito Santo was also incensed by the decision to validate two of Brentford’s goals in their victory over Forest in January. Additionally, he believed his team should have been granted a “clear penalty” for a foul on Taiwo Awoniyi in last month’s defeat against Newcastle.
“Forest have felt a lot of decisions have gone against them,” Clattenburg said. “Everyone is upset and sad that they’ve lost this way.
“We need to hope the club’s luck changes in the future.”