Ivan Toney scored just 19 minutes into his comeback as Brentford beat Nottingham Forest 3-2; Toney's free-kick was allowed to stand despite him moving the ball and vanishing spray; Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo unhappy with "ball displacement"
Sunday 21 January 2024 23:09, UK
Nottingham Forest have written to the head of Premier League referees asking for clarity over Ivan Toney's controversial free-kick on Saturday.
Toney was seen to move the ball - and the referee's vanishing spray - to the right of where it had originally been placed following Orel Mangala's foul on Mikel Damsgaard on the edge of the Forest box.
Toney went on to curl his free-kick wide of the Forest wall and in at the near post. Forest ended up losing the game 3-2.
Forest manager Nuno Espírito Santo said in his post-match news conference that he was unhappy with the "ball displacement", adding that it should have been checked by VAR.
However, Sky Sports News has been told that Forest officials went to see referee Darren England after the game, who told them that such incidents are not within the remit of VAR to address.
International Football Association Board protocols don't allow VAR to check where the ball has been placed for a free-kick - that is solely the responsibility of the on-field match officials.
As a result, Forest have written to Howard Webb to ask for clarity on whether Toney broke the rules in moving the ball and the vanishing spray, and whether that is something that should come under VAR's remit, when it leads directly to a goal.
FA rules state free-kicks must be "taken from the place where the offence occurred" but the 27-year-old's actions appeared to go unnoticed by the officials.
Toney explained why he moved the ball after the game, saying: "I think you have a yard either way. I just moved it and bent it around the corner."
Forest have also written to Webb regarding whether Neal Maupay's winning goal should have been ruled out for handball. VAR checked the goal but did not change the on-field decision.
Espirito Santo questioned why Toney's goal was allowed to stand, saying: "Of course, I have [an issue].
"Everyone in this room can see it was a ball displacement. Every goal must be checked. I don't know if this was checked. It's ball displacement."
Nuno also suggested his players could have protested more vigorously after Toney scored, saying: "I think we have to be a little bit more mature in these situations.
"It changed the position of the wall. Everyone thinks the wall was faulty but it's not."
Brentford boss Thomas Frank expressed a genuine unawareness of the rules but admitted the strike was clever as Toney opted to keep his finish low.
"I have no clue - I didn't know it," said Frank when Toney's comments were put to him. "I didn't know he did it, and I haven't seen it back. He's a clever player. What more can I say?
"I don't know if it's right or wrong. If it's not in the rulebook, then that's not good but I take the positive as he connected well with it to bend it around the wall."
