Dyche fumes at Man Utd goal, calls for VAR change
Nottingham Forest manager Sean Dyche has urged football authorities to expand VAR’s remit after Manchester United’s opening goal in Saturday’s 2-2 Premier League draw stemmed from a corner that appeared to have been wrongly awarded.
Casemiro put United ahead at the City Ground following a first-half corner, despite replays showing that Forest defender Nicolò Savona had seemingly kept the ball in play. The decision left Dyche visibly frustrated, marking the second consecutive week he has criticised officiating errors that led directly to goals against his team.
“Two weeks on the trot, which is bizarre in itself,” Dyche told reporters. “Last week at Bournemouth was a clear mistake, and I was booked for questioning it. Then today, you’ve got an assistant 70 yards away, with a goal and a net in the way, apparently able to see something I can’t from a better angle. That’s got to be wrong.”
Current Premier League regulations prevent VAR from intervening when a corner is awarded incorrectly, even if the ensuing phase results in a goal. Dyche argued the rule should be reviewed to allow officials to correct clear factual errors in such situations.
“The thing that annoys me most—and I’m a big fan of VAR—is that someone should be able to overrule these decisions quickly,” he said. “It would take five seconds. You just say, ‘that’s still in play,’ and move on. Instead, we concede from it two weeks running.”
Forest rallied after falling behind, turning the match around through quick-fire goals from Morgan Gibbs-White and Savona early in the second half, giving Dyche hope of securing his first league win since taking charge. However, Amad Diallo’s well-taken volley late on ensured United avoided defeat.
The draw leaves Forest still searching for their first Premier League victory under Dyche, who continues to emphasize defensive discipline and pressing structure. For United, it served as a reminder of their inconsistency away from home despite recent improvement in form.
Dyche’s comments are likely to reignite debate around the scope of VAR intervention in English football. The Premier League’s technology protocols have come under scrutiny this season, with several managers calling for reforms to address situations where clear officiating mistakes cannot currently be reviewed.