Williams: Decisions not to give penalties ‘ridiculous’
DEFENDER Neco Williams has blasted the “ridiculous” decisions that went against Nottingham Forest in Sunday’s 2-0 defeat at Everton.
Williams argues the Reds were denied three “blatant” penalties in the clash between the relegation rivals at Goodison Park. Challenges by Ashley Young on Gio Reyna and Callum Hudson-odoi, along with a handball shout against the Toffees defender, were waved away by referee Anthony Taylor and no instruction was given for the official to review his decisions.
The controversy on Merseyside is far from the first time Forest have been left with a sense of injustice over referee and VAR calls this season. They released an angry statement after the full-time whistle fuming about their patience having “been tested multiple times”.
Williams told Sky Sports: “Listen, it’s three clear, blatant penalties. Everyone watching that game knew they were all penalties. They are clear.
“Every single week this happens now. We are getting decisions against us. I don’t know why. Is it because we are a lower bottom half of the table team? Because I guarantee all the top six teams are getting every single one of them.
“I know every single person watching that game today knew all three of them were clear, blatant penalties. It is ridiculous. It is week after week now we are getting these decisions against us.
“I am not here to make excuses; I am not that type of person.
“But every week it is something, and I don’t know what it is. It needs to stop, because it is three clear, blatant penalties.”
Head coach Nuno Espirito Santo outlined in his post-match press conference how his players can be affected by such decisions consistently going against them. His side sit one point above the bottom three with four games of the season remaining.
Asked which of the penalty claims the Reds were most angry about, Williams added: “Every single one of them.
“Gio Reyna, he has kicked him and it is a clear pen. The handball, we have tried playing it back across and he has handballed it. And Callum (Hudson-odoi), when he was through on goal.
“They are all clear, blatant penalties. I am not here to make excuses but it changes the game massively.
“At the end of the day, we are down there and are fighting to stay in this league. We are having absolutely zero help from the Premier League and everyone up in the rooms looking at VAR.
“The referee has got to see that as well. He can’t just rely on the VAR.
“I can’t make it any more clear that they were all three penalties. It changes the game completely.
“To be honest, it is ridiculous now. It is absolutely ridiculous and I have got nothing else to say on it.”