Nottingham Forest referee analyst Mark Clattenburg claims Paul Tierney made an mistake in allowing Darwin Nunez’s last-gasp winner in Saturday’s 1-0 home defeat to Liverpool.
Forest’s players, bench and fans were furious after the substitute’s stoppage-time effort denied them a draw.
Referee Tierney had stopped play before the build-up to the goal for an apparent head injury to Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konate.
The official blew with Forest in possession on the edge of Liverpool’s area and, after Konate had quickly recovered, Tierney dropped the ball to visiting goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher, who then started the move that led to the goal.
Clattenburg, appointed to his role at Forest last month, said after the match: “The law states that, if the referee is going to stop the game – which he is entitled to for a head injury – the ball has to go back to the team that has possession. Nottingham Forest clearly had possession.
“The laws of the game clearly state that, when the referee blows his whistle, the team that has possession should get possession when the game is started again.”
Former Premier League referee Clattenburg added: “When Liverpool were given possession, they went on the attack and eventually scored from it.
“It is another decision that has gone against Nottingham Forest… We just need to hope that this luck changes.”
Forest’s players and staff surrounded Tierney at the final whistle, with coach Steven Reid shown a red card, while boss Nuno Espirito Santo refused to comment on the incident.
Forest dismissed reports club owner Evangelos Marinakis had to be restrained after chasing Tierney down the tunnel after the final whistle, but said he did approach the official.
Clattenburg added: “The owner is quite upset because, of course, he has invested a lot of money in the club. He wants to see results and he feels that another decision has gone against the club.
“He is upset. Everyone at the club is upset that they have lost in this way.
“As a club, Nottingham Forest feel as though there have been one or two decisions that have gone against them in the last few weeks.”
Clattenburg said he would speak to the referees’ governing body, the PGMOL, about the incident.
“With the relations I have with the PGMOL and the Premier League, we will discuss what has happened today and then plot what the next course of action is,” he said.
“The law is clear. When you have possession outside of the penalty area, you get possession back.
“In that crucial moment, Forest had the ball in the corner. They could have absorbed a bit of time and got the result, with the score at 0-0.”
When asked if he had been in contact with Tierney after the game, Clattenburg added: “I have not spoken to him myself. I tried to go into the referee’s room and he would not allow me in.”
The PGMOL declined to comment, while the PA news agency has also approached the Premier League for its response.
