Gary Neville hits out at 'horrendous' Nottingham Forest statement slamming decisions during 2-0 loss at Everton and says it 'lets the proud history of the club down' after claiming VAR was a Luton fan

Gary Neville has criticised the 'horrendous statement' issued by Nottingham Forest following their 2-0 defeat by Everton.

Forest were hugely frustrated with some of the decisions that went against them and claimed that VAR official Stuart Attwell is a Luton Town fan.

Following the defeat to Everton, Forest remain 17th in the table, one place and one point ahead of Luton. Everton prevailed courtesy of goals from Idrissa Gueye and Dwight McNeil. 

Forest felt that they should have been awarded three penalties, with Ashley Young involved in all three incidents.

Young escaped punishment for challenges on Giovanni Reyna and Callum Hudson-Odoi, while it was also claimed that he handled the ball in the box but referee Anthony Taylor waved play on.

Neville was heavily critical of Forest's statement, saying that it 'lets the proud history of that club down'. 

Neville said on Sky Sports: 'I just want to comment on that Nottingham Forest statement. It is horrendous statement by that football club. It lets the proud history of that club down, and the inferred cheating, suggesting the official is a Luton Town fan, is absolutely ridiculous.'

Forest wrote on X: 'Three extremely poor decisions - three penalties not given - which we simply cannot accept.

'We warned the PGMOL that the VAR is a Luton fan before the game but they didn't change him. Our patience has been tested multiple times.

'NFFC will now consider its options.'

Neville's comments echoed those of fellow pundit Jamie Carragher, who labelled the statement as 'embarrassing'.

Carragher said: 'It tells you where we are in the Premier League now, with the clubs. Stuart Attwell and Anthony Taylor have had a horrific day today, awful, and they should be rightly criticised for that. That could have real implications for Nottingham Forest. I get the frustrations.'

'But that, what I've just read there on social media, that's like a fan in a pub. That is embarrassing for Nottingham Forest. I get the frustrations, but that rubbish about the VAR is a Luton fan? You can't get involved in that. You've got to show a little bit of class if you are a football club. I get it, the frustration, the officials have had an awful day, terrible. But you can't get involved in that. It's nonsense!'.

After the game Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo was heavily critical of the officiating.

He said: 'I don’t understand the reason for the decisions of Anthony Taylor and VAR because I see the images.

'But this is a general feeling that’s been with us, we are trying to ignore it and so many times it’s repeating bad decisions against us, not gibing us.

'Even taking things from us, it’s very difficult to control. The players and me are trying to focus on football because it’s been very hard.

'The situation that we are doesn’t help, now we have some stress and fear but it’s not an excuse. It’s been clear what’s happening to us, not only in this game.

'I’ve seen the images. It’s hard to take. It’s a pen on Gio Reyna, it’s a kick, it’s a handball and it’s understandable we are proactive as a club because we want things right.

'We don’t want bad referees, we want good decisions. If we lose because of a bad display, we take it, but it’s disappointing with the decisions.'