Craig Bellamy fumes at referee in full-time rant after more VAR controversy

18 September 2023 , 21:16

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Craig Bellamy made his anger known at full-time

Craig Bellamy was left angered at the end of Burnley's draw at Nottingham Forest after the Clarets were denied a first win of the season.

The Premier League new boys took the lead at the City Ground before they were pegged back in the second-half. Lyle Foster though he'd put Vincent Kompany's side back in front with 13 minutes left when he slotted home after a cut back from Sander Berge.

VAR, though, intervened to highlight a possible handball by the Burnley midfielder with the visitors seeing the goal ruled out as a result. Bellamy was less than impressed at the final whistle as he went to vent at Robert Jones, as did Berge, who was seen in dialogue with the referee.

The same official found himself on the bad side of those from Nottingham last month as they took issue with his VAR performance during their loss at Manchester United, where they led 2-0 before eventually losing 3-2 to leave with nothing. On this occasion though he ensured they picked up a point.

Thomas Frank and Jamie Carragher, both men in the Sky Sports studio, thought the decision to rule out the strike was a harsh one and understood the frustration. The Brentford boss said: “When looking at the frame-by-frame we can see he touches the ball a tiny bit, but I think it’s very harsh.

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"What about the clear and obvious where they said they’d intervene? What if that was a defender? Would it be a penalty? They need to use common sense. They don’t use common sense.”

Sander Berge's apparent handball proved costly for Burnley (Sky Sports)

Carragher agreed as he went on to say: “I’m with Thomas. I think it's extremely harsh. I think that should be a goal. I think initially he is running, so his arms are in front and he’s trying to get there, then he sees the defender come across him. The arm is maybe slightly different from his running action, but then also the defender is coming across, so that left arm would normally come up anyway.

“It’s the slightest of touches but to say he deliberately handballed it… It didn’t change direction. I think they can feel a little bit aggrieved.”

Former Chelsea man Callum Hudson-Odoi came up with a stunning curling effort to equalise for the hosts after Zeki Amdouni had put Burnley ahead. The point is Burnley's first of the campaign whilst Forest sit in the top half having gone unbeaten since losing on the opening day.

Samuel Meade