Nuno Espirito Santo says the decision not to award his Nottingham Forest side a penalty was the turning point of their 3-2 defeat to Newcastle.

Replays showed that keeper Martin Dubravka did make contact with Taiwo Awoniyi in the 63rd minute, as he stretched out an arm, before the Forest striker tumbled to the ground.

But a VAR review ended without the on-field decision of referee Anthony Taylor being overturned.

It was one that left Nuno frustrated, with the scores tied at 2-2 in that moment of the game.

Goals from Anthony Elanga and Callum Hudson-Odoi had helped Forest to bounce back from behind twice, following goals from Bruno Guimaraes and Fabian Schar.

And the Forest head coach felt his side were denied an opportunity to take the lead in the game for the first time, before Guimaraes struck for a second time.

“Yes (we should have had a penalty). It was really clear. I have seen it over and over again,” said Nuno. “Have you seen it? I have seen the replay over and over again. I am not sure that the referee had the best view of the incident, from behind.

“But when you have the chance to have VAR look at the replays… it is so obvious. That is why I do not understand why the decision was not given.

“I think it was a defining moment because we came from behind twice, which is very hard against a very good team. You then have a clear chance to be in front.

“We don’t know what would have happened but it clearly changes the game. After all the effort of the boys and how well they were doing things, that was a decisive moment.”

GO DEEPER

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