GARY NEVILLE will not be covering Nottingham Forest for Sky Sports this weekend.
The Manchester United legend was highly critical of Nuno Espirito Santo’s side as they lost 2-0 to Everton in controversial style.
Forest believe they were denied three clear penalties, all of which were waved away by VAR.
The man in charge of the video for that game was Stuart Attwell, who supports fellow relegation rivals Luton Town.
And after the game, Forest released a furious statement where they appeared to question Attwell’s integrity.
It read: “Three extremely poor decisions – three penalties not given – which we simply cannot accept.
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“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.”
But Neville was unimpressed with Forest’s declaration, likening their words to a “mafia-gang statement.”
He said: “It’s like a mafia-gang statement. I mean, honestly, what the hell are they playing at? It’s like a petulant child, it’s embarrassing.
“And some of those things they’re saying in there, the suggestion of some sort of inferring of cheating because there’s an official in VAR in Stockley Park who’s a Luton fan is a scandal, and they will pay for that.”
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In turn, Neville’s quip has now seen Forest consider legal action against Sky.
And all eyes will be on the City Ground when they welcome Man City to their home for Sunday’s 4.30pm kick off.
However, Neville has declared he will not be taking part in the game as the row rumbles on.
Speaking on the Stick to Football podcast, he said: “I rang Sky up and said I need the north London derby on Sunday! No (I’m not at Forest), I am at the north London derby.”
The north London derby between Tottenham and Arsenal is Sky’s other televised game on Sunday, with that match kicking off at 2pm.
Neville also continued his criticism of ex-ref Mark Clattenburg, who now works as an analyst at Forest and backed up their penalty claims this week.
Neville, who previously called on Clattenburg to resign from his position, continued: “You’ve got Clattenburg almost like a Navy Seal in the director’s box crawling along to the CEO (whispering).
“The reason I asked him to resign was because if he actually saw that Luton tweet that went out, he actually has to distance himself from it or he’s part of it. If he’s part of that, I’m like ‘wow’.
“The second part of it is it’s football, right. If you’re the leader of that football club, since Mark Clattenburg came in, in the last 10 games they’ve won one match. In the 10 games before, they won four.
“You never give football players or employees a get-out excuse ever. He’s given them an excuse to not win. Now that might sound crazy, but when you put that negativity in, Neco Williams, he’s probably a really good player, he’s coming out on Sunday and he’s talking about referees.
What did Neville say about Clattenburg?
His words at the weekend in full:
“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.
“The statement is like a petulant child. It’s embarrassing.
“Today has been a horrendous day for Nottingham Forest. Possibly horrendous because of the decisions that they’ve had, but horrendous for how they’ve reacted to the situation.
“To mention the VAR official as being a Luton fan and inferring in some way that’s had an impact on the decision-making process and suggesting to me as a fan, thinking ‘has he cheated us’, you’re into really dangerous territory.
“I’m disappointed for Nottingham Forest’s players and fans, but I’m also disappointed in Nottingham Forest for the way in which they’ve acted.
“It’s a horrendous tweet they’ve put out there and they’ll regret that as a football club.”
“They’re all consumed about referees, and they’ve given themselves an excuse, everyone’s against us. It’s not working for them this strategy of the way in which it’s going.
“What they need to do is switch their mentality completely and forget about referees. Get Clattenburg out the director’s box so the camera stops going on him and concentrate on football, because they’re going to go down if they’re not careful.”
Keane piles in
Former Forest star Roy Keane also took aim at his old club, accusing them of not showing “any class.”
He growled: “It’s very messy. Forest, looking back over the last few months, I don’t think they’ve shown any class, that’s the way I’d look at it.
“The way they’re carrying on, they were on the pitch against Liverpool, you look at the ownership there. I was lucky to play for Forest, brilliant club when I was there. I don’t like the type of behaviour at the moment, what they’re doing.
“They’re entitled to come out and defend themselves and fight their own corner, of course. But just looking at them over the last few years, I don’t like what I see with the behaviour that’s gone on at ownership-level.
“Forest have this idea, all of a sudden, the referees are going to be ‘do you know what? Let’s have a bit of sympathy towards Forest’. I think that’s just going to go against them. The way they keep coming out with these statements and badgering on the pitch.
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“You fight your corner, but not when coaching staff and owners are coming on the pitch. In terms of Forest’s attitude of the world is against us, now steady on a bit.”
Gary Neville and Roy Keane were speaking on the Stick to Football podcast, brought to you by Sky Bet.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
