Nottingham Forest’s search for a home victory took another frustrating turn after a dramatic late equalizer was dramatically chalked off by VAR, condemning Oliver Glasner’s side to a narrow defeat at the City Ground. While the hosts were left heartbroken after Jay Dasilva’s first-half strike ultimately separated the two teams, expert analysis has shed light on why the controversial decision to rule out Igor Jesus’ late goal was ultimately correct.
The flashpoint occurred in the dying moments of the match during the 88th minute. Igor Jesus, having stepped off the bench to inject fresh life into Forest’s attack, pounced inside the penalty area to poke home what appeared to be a dramatic, morale-boosting equalizer. As the striker began carrying the ball back to the centre circle to restart play, referee Jarred Gillett was summoned to the pitchside monitor following a VAR intervention.
After reviewing the footage, Gillett quickly overturned the decision, confirming to the stadium that Jesus had clipped and stepped on the foot of Coventry defender Caleb Yirenkyi in the buildup, causing him to stumble and lose possession just before the goal was scored.
Expert Panel Backs VAR Overturned Goal
The decision sparked immediate outrage from the home faithful, but former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher firmly defended the VAR review process, insisting it operated exactly as intended.
“It is absolutely what VAR is there for,” Gallagher stated while speaking on Sky Sports. “The referee does not see it on the field, but if you look he actually stands on his foot just as he is about to play the ball, he stumbles over and goes down and that is why he wins the ball. Once he stands on his foot, it is a foul.”
Gallagher’s assessment was echoed by former Cardiff City forward Jay Bothroyd, who praised the defender for trying to stay on his feet despite the contact.
“I agree, he stands on his foot and when you are sprinting back and you feel that, it puts you off balance and in fairness, the player has actually tried to stay on his feet,” Bothroyd added. “He has tried to stay up and be honest, and thankfully, he was not punished for his honesty. That is a great decision.”
Even former Manchester United star Gary Neville, while acknowledging sympathy for Glasner’s side as they fought desperately for a point, conceded that the referees reached the correct conclusion. Speaking on his Sky Sports podcast, Neville admitted that getting your foot clipped in the penalty box under pressure inevitably alters balance.
“I thought it was a foul,” Neville said. “I thought if you’re a defender going back into the box and you get your foot kicked, you are going to… It did just make him stumble, didn’t it? If you’re Nottingham Forest, you’re going to complain and you’re going to think you’re hard done to. I did think it was a foul. I think he definitely stumbled and then he lost his footing along the way. That added to the drama, didn’t it? Everything that could go on was going on.”
Oliver Glasner Left Facing Mounting Pressure
The late heartbreak leaves Nottingham Forest still searching for answers at home under Oliver Glasner, highlighting an ongoing attacking crisis that the manager must urgently fix. While supporters will undoubtedly feel hard done by the fine margins of VAR intervention, the reality remains that the Reds walked away empty-handed.
As Forest looks to regroup and put this contentious afternoon behind them, the focus shifts back to the training ground. Glasner’s squad will need to channel their late-game urgency into consistent 90-minute performances if they hope to turn their home form around and climb the table.
