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Nottingham Forest manager Sean Dyche expressed frustration with the officials over a series of "bizarre" decisions in his side's late 2-1 defeat by Manchester City.

Dyche was convinced that Rayan Cherki's 83rd-minute winner at the City Ground should have been ruled out for a infringement on Morgan Gibbs-White during the attacking phase.

He also thought that referee Rob Jones should have shown City defender Ruben Dias a second yellow card in the second half.

"Such an easy game to referee, in my opinion, such an easy decision for VAR [video assistant referee]," Dyche said.

"To have played so superbly and then be forced to address how the referees impacted the match is galling, but their effect was obvious.

"Every supporter in the ground and every viewer at home witnessed it."

Was Cherki's winning goal legitimate?

Sitting just outside the bottom three, a point against an dominant City side would have moved Forest further away from the relegation places.

But Cherki crushed their hopes as he slammed home a half-volley, drilling the ball from the edge of the box past Gibbs-White.

Forest players were immediately protested to referee Jones, claiming that Gibbs-White had been pushed to the ground by Nico O'Reilly and prevented from blocking Cherki's strike.

"Morgan Gibbs-White quite clearly gets pushed to the floor and the same player is involved in blocking the ball," Dyche commented.

"He is prevented from blocking as the ball passes through where he would have been. No matter the perspective, it's an infringement."

The VAR checked the goal, but in the end upheld Jones' on-field decision to stand.

Dyche went on: "Their defense may be, 'The ball was elsewhere'. But then you ask, 'If you foul a goalkeeper when the ball is not close, would that be given?'.

"Everyone knows it would be. I am baffled. And then they go and score from the situation, which compounds the error.

"I'm a big fan of VAR - I can't work out how you can't get that right."

Was Dias fortunate to avoid a second yellow?

Dyche was also unhappy about Jones' decision not to send Dias off.

The experienced defender received a booking for dissent in the first half, complaining about a decision against him following his challenge on Igor Jesus.

Straight after the restart, Dias brought down Igor Jesus again as the Forest forward was breaking upfield.

"The argument is it was accidental. But if that's an accidental foul when through on goal, it's a sending-off. So how can it be accidental yet not warrant a booking?" Dyche said.

"I find it utterly strange, truly. These are simple decisions. Show the second yellow, job done. 'You're off'. I am completely astonished."

Jones awarded Forest a free-kick but overlooked pleas by Igor Jesus and other Forest players to show Dias a second yellow card.