Nottingham Forest send out Mark Clattenburg to explain why owner is 'upset' with late decision vs Liverpool

Nottingham Forest have taken the unprecedented step of sending their referee analyst Mark Clattenburg to speak to media after their 1-0 defeat to Liverpool.

The conclusion of the game was dominated by controversy, with Forest furious that referee Paul Tierney had not given the ball back to them following a head injury suffered by Liverpool's Ibrahima Konate.

That incident occurred in the 96th minute, with Liverpool then going on to score a 99th-minute winner through Darwin Nunez.

There were chaotic scenes at full-time, with Forest owner and chairman Evangelos Marinakis charging on to the pitch and, according to BBC Radio 5 Live's Rob Schofield, 'pursuing Tierney and fourth official Graeme Scott all the way to the referee's office'.

Forest first team coach Steven Reid was sent off during the carnage after confronting Tierney, while the home fans at the City Ground were livid.

Manager Nuno Espirito Santo remained tight-lipped around the incident in his post-match interview with BBC Sport, instead saying that he was 'frustrated' that his side couldn't get anything from the game.

In a Premier League first, meanwhile, Forest sent out Clattenburg, who officiated in the top flight for 13 years, to conduct further media duties with BBC Radio 5 Live after full-time.

You can watch the clip below.

"The owner's quite upset" 🗣️

❌ Nottingham Forest sent their referee analyst Mark Clattenburg to speak to us after Liverpool's late winner

📲 https://t.co/bwOLfi4Imu#BBCFootball #NFOLIV pic.twitter.com/vfdCZaWD4W

— BBC 5 Live Sport (@5liveSport) March 2, 2024

Clattenburg explained: "The law is quite clear. The law states that if the referee is going to stop the game, which he is entitled to for a head injury, he's quite rightly allowed to stop the game. But the ball has to go back to the team that has the possession.

"Nottingham Forest clearly had that possession. He [Tierney] did exactly the same in the first half, but it was a different situation because it was closer to the penalty area. The Nottingham Forest one is more towards to the corner flag.

"Nottingham Forest should have had the ball back, and therefore the possession of the ball, and the game's completely different.

"When you give the ball back to the [Liverpool] goalkeeper in that situation, Liverpool have then gone on the attack and scored from it.

"You can understand the frustration tonight, that things just seem to be going against Nottingham Forest Football Club at the moment. We just need to hope that this luck changes in the future."

When asked about his role at the club and exactly what it entails, he replied: "I'm here to advise the club. For example, this is a matter of law, so therefore I can explain the matter of law.

"That's what I am there for - to advise the board, to advise the football club. I haven't spoken to the referee - I'll leave that to the officials of Nottingham Forest to do.

"The owner [Marinakis] is quite upset, because they fought. He's invested a lot of money into this football club, and he wants to see the results."