Mark Clattenburg did not request for Stuart Attwell to be removed from VAR duties during a phone call with referee chief Howard Webb. His comments after Forest’s 2-0 defeat to Everton, criticizing the penalty decisions, came as a surprise to the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL). Forest released a statement expressing disappointment over the three penalty decisions made by Anthony Taylor and Attwell on VAR duty, and warned that they would consider their options.
Clattenburg commented that smarter appointments by the PGMOL could have avoided the situation, questioning why Attwell did not send Taylor to review the decisions on the screen. Forest demanded a change in the rules regarding referees’ loyalties, citing the need to account for contextual rivalries in the league table. They emphasized the importance of upholding the integrity of the game.
Clattenburg’s involvement at Forest has been criticized, with Sky pundit Gary Neville suggesting that he should resign. However, there was no indication of special communication between Clattenburg and Webb, and the club has faced high-profile incidents even with Clattenburg’s assistance. This includes a recent incident after Forest’s defeat to Liverpool, where owner Evangelos Marinakis confronted the officials in the tunnel.
Forest was fined, and coach Steven Reid also received a fine. Overall, there are concerns and controversies surrounding the referee decisions and the behavior of individuals involved with Forest, raising questions about the integrity of the game.
