Danny Murphy has delivered his verdict as Nottingham Forest hit out at the PGMOL after a 2-0 defeat to Everton on Sunday (21 April).

Ashley Young was at the epicentre of proceedings, with Forest calling for three separate penalties to be awarded against the Toffees, all of which were waved away and checked by VAR.

Stuart Attwell, a known Luton Town fan, was in charge of VAR, which the Reds targeted in their social media statement as to why the decisions had gone against them at Goodison Park.

Speaking via BBC’s Match of the Day 2 on Sunday (21 April), Murphy said: “It’s a bizarre situation, one that has shocked us all. There was some poor decision-making but I think the response is strange. I don’t see what they think they’ll achieve from it.

“I don’t go along with that [Stuart Attwell being a Luton Town fan affected the decision-making]. I’ve always felt that our referees over the years, no matter where they were from or what the rumours were, tried to do their best.

“There have been some really bad officiating this season and a lot of incompetency. And today was the same.”

Do Nottingham Forest have a reason to feel aggrieved against Everton?

Looking back at all three incidents, there are calls to be made with all three, and the general consensus is that Young, and Everton, may have been lucky not to have been penalised at least once, but the club deserves that luck after a rotten year.

The veteran’s defending could have easily been punished, and few people would have been able to complain, though the challenge on Gio Reyna is probably the least contentious of the three.

Luckily for the Toffees, they were able to claim just their second Premier League victory of 2024, boosting them away from the dreaded dropzone amidst a very nervy relegation battle.

Everton have moved four points above Forest and five points above Luton, which further questions why a Luton fan would want a win for the Merseyside club – a draw would have been more likely to suit them.

However, goals from Idrissa Gana Gueye and Dwight McNeil sealed the points for Everton at Goodison Park, prompting an outcry from Forest.

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