Mark Clattenburg, the referee consultant for Nottingham Forest, holds the belief that Darwin Nunez’s decisive goal for Liverpool on Saturday should have been disallowed.
Nunez found the net in the 99th minute, securing a crucial 1-0 victory for the Reds. However, Clattenburg, who is currently employed as Forest’s refereeing consultant, expressed dissent regarding the referee’s decision.
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The match official in charge, Paul Tierney, had halted play due to an injury sustained by Ibrahima Konate, while Nottingham Forest were in possession of the ball.
Upon the resumption of play, Tierney instructed Liverpool to continue without returning possession to Forest. Subsequently, Nunez capitalized on the situation, scoring the decisive goal, much to the dismay of the former referee.
Per the Daily Mirror, he said: “As a club, Forest feel there have been one or two decisions that have gone against them – Newcastle United, West Ham – decisions that the PGMOL have accepted that there has been a mistake and today was another example where the law is quite clear.
“If the referee is to stop the game for a head injury if he feels there is one. He’s rightly allowed to stop it. However, the ball has to go back to the team that has possession. And Nottingham Forest clearly had that possession.
“He did exactly the same in the first half however it was a different situation. The ball was closer to the penalty area and the Nottingham Forest was towards the corner flag. Nottingham Forest should have had the ball back. Instead, Liverpool have gone upfield and scored from it.”
The outcome holds significant implications for teams at both ends of the table. Liverpool has reclaimed the top spot in the league standings, while Forest finds themselves in 17th place, holding a four-point buffer from the relegation zone.
Understandably, frustration surrounds the controversial decision, leading to Steven Reid, a Forest coach, being dismissed after the final whistle for confronting Tierney.
Forest’s upcoming fixture sees them facing Brighton next weekend. In contrast, Liverpool is set to take on Sparta Prague in the Europa League Round of 16 on Thursday before confronting Manchester City in a highly anticipated showdown at the summit of the league.
