Forest take big step as Wilder takes aim at ref
CHRIS WILDER appeared to suggest the match officials had been influenced by Nottingham Forest’s VAR complaints when they allowed Ryan Yates’s goal early in the second half.
Forest hearts were in their mouths after Yates volleyed home as VAR Michael Salisbury checked for a foul by Murillo on Ben Brereton-Diaz. But the goal stood, Forest led 2-1 and then made the points safe when Callum Hudson-Odoi claimed his second of the match.
The win put Forest three points clear of Luton and within striking distance of safety, while already-relegated Sheffield United became the first team to concede 100 goals in a 38-game league season.
Forest have been furious with VAR all season and were charged with misconduct following the defeat by Everton last month, when they believed they were denied three penalties.
Wilder, when asked about the controversial second goal, said: ‘It’s a foul isn’t it? He puts two hands in the back, Ben Brereton-Diaz doesn’t just fall down. He pushes him. I will let you put two and two together. I think it is a pretty comfortable decision for everybody to make because of the situation.’
Asked specifically whether he was referring to Forest’s issues with the officials, Wilder said: ‘I will let you decide on that. I am not going to get dragged into that debate. A foul is a foul, whether it is a push in any part of the pitch. ‘For me it is a foul, people tell me the game has moved on, you could say Ben needs to be stronger, but there is no need for him to go down like that, you can see he has two hands in his back. They score from that opportunity and we go 2-1 down.’ Victory over Chelsea next weekend would secure safety for Forest, even if their appeal against the fourpoint penalty imposed for breaking spending rules is not successful.
If Forest regain even one point, it will strengthen their position greatly, especially with Burnley losing and Luton only drawing this weekend.
Hudson-Odoi also scored a beauty in the first half to cancel out Brereton-Diaz’s opener from the penalty spot and to make matters worse for the home side, Anel Ahmedhodzic was shown a second yellow card in stoppage time as his team were booed off.
‘It’s a big step but we still have two games to go,’ said boss Nuno Espirito Santo, who criticised his team’s first-half display. ‘It’s a very important step. When there was a delay before awarding the second goal, my anxiety was at the highest level.
‘The referee didn’t interfere in the result which is important.’