Mark Clattenburg calls out Anthony Taylor over Liverpool and Forest penalty calls | Football | Sport

Mark Clattenburg has pointed the finger at referee Anthony Taylor for taking different approaches to similar penalty incidents involving Liverpool and Nottingham Forest. Taylor had the whistle at the City Ground on Saturday as Forest were beaten 3-2 by Newcastle, with Bruno Guimaraes scoring the winning goal 24 minutes from time.

Forest were unlucky to be denied a spot-kick with the score at 2-2 when Taiwo Awoniyi was felled by Newcastle goalkeeper Martin Dubravka in the box. Their appeals were waved away by Taylor and VAR failed to overturn his decision not to award a penalty despite replays showing that contact was made, leaving Forest boss Nuno Espirito Santo incensed.

Clattenburg, who spent many years refereeing in the Premier League before stepping down in 2017, believes that Forest had more of a case than Liverpool did when Diogo Jota won a penalty following a similar trip by Dubravka last month.

“Just last month, Liverpool were awarded a penalty at Anfield when Diogo Jota was judged to have been tripped by Newcastle’s Martin Dubravka,” wrote Clattenburg in his Daily Mail column.

“Soft though it was, the decision was awarded in real time. The referee that day? Anthony Taylor, who did not award Nottingham Forest a penalty when Taiwo Awoniyi was tripped by the same keeper.

“It was 2-2 at the time and Forest boss Nuno Espirito Santo was right to say this was the moment of the match. Awoniyi had more of a case than Jota. The raised right arm of Dubravka made it impossible for him to stay on his feet, yet Forest got nothing.”

Clattenburg went on to insist that VAR was also in the wrong for failing to intervene, saying: “VAR Tony Harrington cannot escape blame as he did not take the chance to let his colleague correct his error. It is no wonder Forest fans are asking why it is one rule for the Premier League’s biggest clubs and another for them.”

Newcastle’s winning goal came just three minutes after Forest’s penalty denial, with the incident the latest in a string of questionable decisions in the Premier League this season. Forest boss Nuno was left ‘disappointed’ and ‘sad’ that a penalty was not given, insisting after the final whistle that it was the pivotal moment in the match.

“It was a clear penalty, I saw it over and over again, for me it is a clear penalty,” he said. “Have you seen the image? I saw the replay over and over again.

“I think Anthony Taylor maybe doesn’t have a clear view of the incident because it is from behind but when you have the chance for VAR to check it, I think it is so obvious, that is why I don’t understand the decision. It is clear, the ball is still in play. We came from behind twice, it is very hard against a good team and you have a clear chance to go in front.

“We don’t know what will happen but it clearly changed the history of the game. That was a decisive moment for sure. I am frustrated, sad, disappointed because we played well and we created a lot of situations with the pace and speed. I am disappointed because we did so many things right and so few things that really cost us.”

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