Nottingham Forest boss criticizes refereeing decision in loss to Tottenham
Nottingham Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo expressed disappointment over a refereeing decision involving James Maddison during their 3-1 defeat against Tottenham.
Off-the-ball incident sparks controversy
Spurs playmaker Maddison was involved in an off-the-ball incident with Ryan Yates in the 44th minute, resulting in the Forest captain falling to the ground.
Yates requested referee Simon Hooper to review the incident, and replays revealed that Maddison made contact with the Forest midfielder’s stomach. However, VAR opted not to intervene while the score was level at 1-1.
Nuno’s reaction
Nuno commented, “It doesn’t look like he punched him, he punched him. I saw the image and that is why I speak to you. I was surprised that VAR didn’t tell Simon to review it better because honestly with all my respects, Maddison loses his composure and it is a punch in the stomach of Yates.”
He added, “It should have been reviewed and a different decision. It is not a shirt (pull) with players that looks like nothing happens, no. No, it’s without the ball.”
Forest’s missed opportunities
Forest had chances to take the lead, with Chris Wood hitting the post after scoring in four consecutive matches and Guglielmo Vicario denying Yates earlier in the game.
Spurs secure victory
Tottenham capitalized on their opportunities in the second half, scoring two quick goals through Micky van de Ven and Pedro Porro to end Forest’s three-match unbeaten run.
Nuno’s reflections
Reflecting on his return to Tottenham after his dismissal in 2021, Nuno described it as a “special” occasion. However, he emphasized that his focus remains on helping 17th-placed Forest improve their chances of survival, especially in the upcoming match against Wolves.
Nuno stated, “It was a pleasure to work here at Spurs. It was an honour. Things didn’t work out and didn’t finish well. I keep going, Spurs keep on going. It was special to come here. It is always special to come to a place where you worked, but it doesn’t take away the focus. My focus is on Forest and we have to do much better next week because we are in a tough fight.”