Gary Neville blames Liverpool and Arsenal for setting a precedent after Nottingham Forest complain over the free kick goal by Ivan Toney.
The Sky Sports pundit called it ‘nonsense’ upon hearing that Nottingham Forest wrote a letter to the Premier League and PGMOL asking for clarification over controversial Ivan Toney free kick.
Nottingham Forest demand an explanation after Ivan Toney was seen moving the ball and line marking before he scored against Forest on Saturday.
“I don’t believe the wall was set up right…” 🧱
Could Nottingham Forest have done more to stop Toney’s strike? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/eWqzlzrUsf
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) January 20, 2024
Forest are seeking answers from referees’ chief Howard Webb after replays showed Toney moving the ball twice to create a better angle for himself and altering the foam used to determine the free-kick line before scoring, on his return to action after an eight-month ban.
Referee Darren England and VAR didn’t do anything about it.
According to Mail Sport, Forest were told following the game that the exact position of where a free kick is taken from is down to the referee and not something where VAR would intervene. This is why Toney’s free kick was not overruled by VAR.
The wall Nottingham Forest players set up to defend the free kick was ultimately poor, but they also gave space for Toney to shoot or practically pass into with the goalkeeper watching it go in.
Protocol set by International Football Association Board (IFAB) states that VAR can can only intervene for ‘serious missed incidents’ in four match-changing situations – goals, penalty decisions, direct red-card incidents and mistaken identity.
Brentford winning 3-2 meant Forest stay four-points above the relegation zone, but the East Midlands outfit have now written to the relevant bodies wanting an explanation as to whether Toney’s actions amounted to foul play.
Gary Neville heard about this and tweeted: “Clubs writing to the PGMOL is embarrassing! Liverpool and Arsenal started it and set the precedent of this nonsense.
“The refs should be doing better and are under enormous pressure at the moment.
“It’s in the clubs interests to work with them to make them improve.
“This public posturing is unnecessary.
“Speak to them and email them to gain clarification in private but they don’t have to “announce” they’ve written to the PGMOL.
“It’s not going to change the decision and it’s not going to help anyone! It just adds to the pile on.”
Clubs writing to the PGMOL is embarrassing! Liverpool and Arsenal started it and set the precedent of this nonsense.
— Gary Neville (@GNev2) January 21, 2024
The refs should be doing better and are under enormous pressure at the moment. It’s in the clubs interests to work with them to make them improve.This public posturing is unnecessary. Speak to them and email them to gain clarification in private but they don’t have to “announce”…
— Gary Neville (@GNev2) January 21, 2024
Espirito Santo questioned why Toney’s goal was allowed to stand: “Of course, I have [an issue].
“Everyone in this room can see it was a ball displacement. Every goal must be checked. I don’t know if this was checked. It’s ball displacement.”
He then suggests his players could have protested more after Toney scored, adding: “I think we have to be a little bit more mature in these situations.
“It changed the position of the wall. Everyone thinks the wall was faulty but it’s not.”
Toney explained why he moved the ball, saying: “I think you have a yard either way. I just moved it and bent it around the corner.”
Brentford boss Thomas Frank said it was clever from Toney with his strike a low finish.
“I have no clue – I didn’t know it,” Frank when Toney’s comments were put to him. “I didn’t know he did it, and I haven’t seen it back. He’s a clever player. What more can I say?
“I don’t know if it’s right or wrong. If it’s not in the rulebook, then that’s not good but I take the positive as he connected well with it to bend it around the wall.”
🗣️ “There was a ball displacement, everybody saw it”
Nuno EspĂrito Santo reacts to Ivan Toney’s free kick and an eventful draw âš˝ pic.twitter.com/15sWITpgFI
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) January 20, 2024
There was plenty of reaction as Gary Neville blames Liverpool and Arsenal after Nottingham Forest complain over Ivan Toney and his free kick goal being allowed to stand…
@AO1865: You know what’s more embarrassing? The standard of officiating in this country, the most expensive and lucrative league in the world and we have to worst officials with the worst use of VAR technology.
@cxllumlfc100: According to Gary Neville the bigger issue is the clubs writing to the organisation that could potentially cost clubs millions because their referees are incompetent rather than the referees themselves getting their act together
@LFC_ERYAN: Not like a manc to backup Howard webb and his crew of useless officials
@AnythingLFC_: Why shouldn’t they be held accountable for their mistakes? This is a multi billion pound industry not a kick about in the garden. These decisions hold real consequences for clubs, remember when Sheffield got relegated because goal line tech wasn’t turned on? How much money did that cost Sheffield? Why should nobody be held accountable? All is fair until it happens to United tho, Gary?
@LeesLogan: Ridiculous isn’t Gary. Just like the Rashford penalty vs Forest earlier in the season. Supposed to be the best league in the world. With the best technology. But we just have corrupt cunts Running it.
@rebekkarnold: A man who challenges the politics of the country & the owners of his club for a leaky roof, but doesn’t want to see PGMOL challenged for inconsistencies in their own ruling, now that’s some nonsense.
@BackseatsmanLFC: Let me guess, they should instead tune in to Sky to watch ‘Match Officials Mic’d Up’ for an explanation on awful decisions? Gary Neville try having an opinion without an ulterior motive challenge (impossible).
@BrianDurand56: I think you will find that the Liverpool case was rather unique. It was not merely a bad decision, but a total contravention of the whole process.
@JohnMcMah0n: Imagine having a platform where you could make a change to the game you claim to love and instead deciding to shill for the very thing that’s wrong with the game because you’re scared. You should be too fucking embarrassed to open your mouth on Sky you big shithouse.
@LiverpoolFF: Why shouldn’t they have to answer for their mistakes? Their organisation is a direct result of the mess playing out.
@thejwp1997: Imagine my surprise when a Sky Sports pundit doesn’t like the fact that teams are now calling out the blatant corruption of the PGMOL and PL which has been perpetuated by his employer for their scripted TV show…
@Kel_NFFC: Well if PGMOL officials did their job correctly then there wouldn’t be any need would there? Just admit that the officials aren’t fit to officiate Sunday league let alone premier league
@MufcExile: Gary, it has come to this only due to how poorly the PGMOL & PL are run: 1. PL allows clubs with 115 charges of financial fraud to operate business as usual. 2. PL Refs have fully paid trips to officiate in the middle east nations that own PL clubs. In such a systematically ringed system, proper clubs like Liverpool, United, Arsenal, Everton, Forest don’t stand a chance unless they fight & contest every single injustice they face. Blame the Premier League & the PGMOL. Not the clubs for not rolling over & accepting injustice.
@Mobyhaque1: If PGMOL did their jobs properly no one absolutely no one would even have to talk about them let alone write to them. You need to get your eyes checked Gary
@thisisanfield: Liverpool did it for a legitimate reason, clubs like Forest are now doing it even when they know the rules and reasons.
@killashaw10: You’re embarrassing but putting up with such a low level of officiating – zero consistency and low bar but we have Gary Neville praising mediocre officials.
@Brett_leverton: Gary, I doubt they are under pressure. It seems like it’s the only job in the world where you can make constant mistakes and nothing really comes of it. They aren’t impacted by their mistakes at all.
@SauceLikeSharin: Since when did you become a spokesperson for them? Teams have the right to ask for clarity on wrong decisions because it costs them positions and money at the end of a season.
@COYIronscom: Said from someone who played for a team who had referees in their back-pocket for years in the PL and is now in bed with the PGMOL to help protect them through SkySports because of the abysmal standard this season, it really is comical.
@CherylSwanick: This a joke Gary. They are not under pressure they make mistakes every week in nearly every game and nothing happens. They come out the next week and do the same. In the real world they’d have been sacked long ago for so many mistakes
@SamLFCYNWA: The PGMOL needs disbanding, a new independent regulatory football board needs to be put in place its really simple, were the best league in the world yet we have the worst officiating bar none.
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