The Premier League is on a potential collision course with Nottingham Forest once again, as David Coote, a Notts County fan, has been appointed to referee relegation rivals Luton Town this weekend. Forest were left furious last weekend after claiming they were denied three penalties during their defeat to Everton. In a strongly worded statement released after the game, Forest condemned the decision to let Stuart Attwell, a known Luton fan, oversee VAR. Both the Premier League and the FA are investigating these comments.
Meanwhile, Forest have continued to protest refereeing appointments and have demanded the VAR audio from their defeat at Goodison Park. The club’s anger could potentially escalate given the latest round of Premier League appointments. David Coote is set to oversee the clash between Luton, who are in the relegation zone and just one point behind Forest with four games remaining, and Wolves this weekend.
Coote has already been confirmed as a Notts County fan. He has never officiated a game involving the Magpies or cross-city rivals Forest. Any decision he makes in this upcoming match could potentially have a significant impact on the Premier League relegation battle. Forest currently sit one point clear of the drop zone with four matches remaining in the campaign.
Elsewhere, Forest have also learned the identity of the referee for their upcoming clash against Manchester City. Simon Hooper will be the man in the middle this weekend. This will be the first time he has officiated a game involving Forest since their 3-1 defeat to Tottenham earlier this month. The Reds believe that ex-Leicester star James Maddison should have been sent off in that game for an alleged punch, but he remained on the pitch.
Speaking after that game, Forest boss Nuno Espirito Santo said: “It’s a red card. I was surprised VAR didn’t [send Maddison off]. Maddison lost composure and punched [Ryan] Yates in the stomach. What they saw clearly is not the same as we saw. I wouldn’t speak if I wasn’t 100 percent sure.”
Forest failed to win their following two games, drawing 2-2 against Wolves before slumping to a 2-0 defeat against Everton. Taking to Twitter after that game, the club said: “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.”
They reiterated that stance a day later. Meanwhile, Neco Williams, Nuno, and the club’s refereeing analyst have all been asked to provide their observations after comments they made regarding the officiating.
