By BEN WINSTANLEY
Published: 07:38 EST, 9 December 2025 | Updated: 07:38 EST, 9 December 2025
Nottingham Forest have lodged a complaint with refereeing chiefs PGMO – arguing that Everton’s James Tarkowski should have been sent off for an off-the-ball challenge on Dan Ndoye during their Premier League clash on Saturday.
With Everton a goal up in the 11th minute at Hill Dickinson Stadium, Everton defender barged Ndoye from behind.
Referee Chris Kavanagh appeared to miss the incident and VAR, James Bell, decided not to intervene. Forest went on to lose the match 3-0.
The VAR cannot intervene if they believe a yellow card may be the appropriate action – they can suggest upgrading a yellow to red, but not no card to yellow.
Forest boss Sean Dyche, who managed Tarkowski at Everton, said: ‘On another day, I'm amazed big Tarky gets away with that but he did. Not even a yellow card.
James Tarkowski in action against Nottingham Forest on Saturday - a game Everton won 3-0
Nottingham Forest boss Sean Dyche felt Tarkowski should have been sent off
'It's not a shove if you look at it. Players get yellows and reds now for just touching heads together and it's a lot more than that.’
Speaking on Sky Sports’ Ref Watch on Monday, former referee Dermot Gallagher said: ‘I was watching the game – it didn’t leap out to me.
'Why he’s done it I don’t know, I think if the referee sees it it’s going to be a yellow card. It didn’t cross my mind it could be a red card.’
But former player and Gallagher's fellow pundit Jay Bothroyd disagreed, saying: ‘I think that is a red card. He’s gone behind him, he’s shoulder checked him in his back, maybe even higher, in the back of his neck. It’s aggressive, he doesn’t need to do it.
‘Because the forward doesn’t know what he’s going to do you can see the way his head has jolted back. It is aggressive and I think that should have been given as a red card.’
Forest visit FC Utrecht in the Europa League on Thursday.