‘Joke’ - Mark Clattenburg breaks silence on Nottingham Forest statement with extraordinary rant

Mark Clattenburg has blasted the Premier League officials in charge of Nottingham Forest’s 2-0 defeat to Everton on Sunday, branding the penalty decisions that went against the visitors as “a hat-trick of howlers”.

Forest felt there were three occasions in which they should have been awarded a spot kick, which led to an astonishing statement from the club posted on its social media pages after full-time.

It 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."

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The statement is now being investigated by the Football Association.

Former Premier League official Clattenburg - who was appointed by Forest as a ‘referee analyst’ by Forest in February - has now spoken in more detail about his grievances with the decisions of on-field referee Anthony Taylor and VAR Stuart Attwell, both of whom are former colleagues.

He told the Daily Mail : “One of these errors would have been bad enough. Three was a joke, and that is why Nottingham Forest were left feeling victimised after another defeat in which zero big decisions went their way.

“In a season where they have had to endure some egregious refereeing, this trip to Everton was as grim a game as they have encountered since returning to the Premier League.”

The three penalty shouts saw Ashley Young's felling of Giovanni Reyna go unpunished, a handball appeal from a Callum Hudson-Odoi cross waved away and no action taken for Young clattering into Hudson-Odoi.

Referring to the three incidents, Clattenburg added: “These situations were precisely why video technology was brought into the Premier League and yet, Attwell did not send Taylor to his monitor.

“Not once. It was a hat-trick of howlers from the refereeing team and, unfortunately for Forest, a continuation of an unjust trend that has hampered their survival fight.”

Clattenburg claimed that he would have “not have risked this situation” of allowing Attwell to be the VAR amid claims that the 41-year-old is a Luton Town fan, a club with whom Forest are battling relegation.

“Referees do not make mistakes deliberately but this was mind-boggling to watch,” he continued. “Why Attwell did not send Taylor to his screen, only he will know.

“The PGMOL can acknowledge the errors if they want. The Key Match Incident panel can say Forest should have been awarded three penalties if they wish.

“Howard Webb can offer up an explanation on his Match Officials Mic’d Up television show with Michael Owen if he is so inclined. All of that is bound to happen, but none of it will help Nottingham Forest now.”

Speaking on Sky Sports, Gary Neville called for Clattenburg to resign from his role. He said the 49-year-old ought to have distanced himself from the statement, albeit has now done the exact opposite.

Neville said: “Mark Clattenberg must resign tonight. If he saw those words go out in which question the integrity of a referee and claims someone is a cheat for supporting another club, then he's supporting what is being said.

“He would lose all credibility with referees in the game. He should stand down tonight and distance himself from that statement.”