But while there was little argument over the header from the Uruguayan striker, Forest were left seething that it was allowed to stand. Just seconds earlier, play had been stopped by referee Paul Tierney after a head injury to Ibrahima Konate inside Liverpool’s area, with Forest’s Callum Hudson-Odoi in possession at the time.
But when play restarted, instead of ordering the ball to be played back to Forest, Tierney gave the visitors the go ahead to play the ball forward. Liverpool duly did so and the subsequent attack culminated in Alexis Mac Allister floating in a cross that Nunez glanced into the bottom corner.
While Nunez and co celebrated wildly, absolute chaos ensued behind them. Forest players duly surrounded Tierney, and after the final whistle, coach Steven Reid was shown a red card by the Wigan official.
Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis also headed pitch-side before reportedly pursuing Tierney down the tunnel before giving him an earful in the referee’s room. And ex-Premier League official Mark Clattenberg, now working for the east Midlands club as a consultant, didn’t hesitate to call out Tierney afterwards.
“As a club, Forest feel there have been one or two decisions that have gone against them,” he said. “Newcastle United, West Ham – decisions that the PGMOL have accepted that there has been a mistake and today was another example where the law is quite clear.
“If the referee is to stop the game for a head injury if he feels there is one. He’s rightly allowed to stop it. However, the ball has to go back to the team that has possession. And Nottingham Forest clearly had that possession.
“He did exactly the same in the first half however it was a different situation. The ball was closer to the penalty area and the Nottingham Forest was towards the corner flag. Nottingham Forest should have had the ball back. Instead, Liverpool have gone upfield and scored from it.”
Forest’s decision to appoint Clattenburg as the first refereeing ‘match and performance analyst’ in England last month prompted widespread surprise. But the club stated they hoped the new role would help to break ‘fresh ground’ in the game, and will now seemingly await a responce from Howard Webb and the PGMOL.
