Nottingham Forest have accused VAR Stuart Attwell of being a Luton fan after feeling they were on the wrong end of “three extremely poor decisions” during Sunday’s 2-0 Premier League defeat at Everton.

Forest posted on X, formerly Twitter, soon after full-time that they were considering their options, having “warned the PGMOL that the VAR is a Luton fan before the game but they didn’t change him”, adding that their patience had now been “tested multiple times” this season.

The relegation-threatened midlands club were furious not to be awarded spot-kicks by Anthony Taylor for challenges on Giovanni Reyna and Callum Hudson-Odoi by Ashley Young, who in the meantime had looked fortunate to escape a handball decision, with Attwell backing the referee.

Forest posted: “Three extremely poor decisions – three penalties not given – which we simply cannot accept.

“We warned the PGMOL that the VAR is a Luton fan before the game, but they didn’t change him. Our patience has been tested multiple times.

“NFFC will now consider its options.”

All three incidents were waved away by referee Taylor, with VAR Attwell opting not to reverse any decision, suggesting with the handball that Young’s arm had been deemed to be in a natural position when it was hit by Hudson-Odoi’s shot.

Forest head coach Nuno Espirito Santo backed the club’s statement in the main but played down the importance of Attwell’s allegiances.

Asked whether he agreed with his club’s stance, he said: “Yes I share (the view) because I saw the images. You see it so clearly, you don’t understand why the decision was against us.

“I honestly think the situation with Gio Reyna in the first half was a clear one and the handball, we can ask because if not, the ball goes to (Chris) Wood and there is an incident with Callum and Ashley Young.

“I share the feeling of the club because it is not only this game, it has been a while for poor decisions against us. It is not an excuse but we are not comfortable with the referees.”

Nuno stopped short of repeating the club’s suggestion Attwell’s appointment as VAR raised issues of impartiality, instead choosing to question the official’s inability to spot what he thought were three viable spot-kicks.

“I am aware of the complaint that the club was not comfortable with the VAR but the PGMOL (Professional Game Match Officials Limited) decided another way,” he said.

“It is not important if he is a fan of another club or not. The VAR is sitting down in a chair, they have time to assess the images.

“I would just like to understand the why – why we have always been on the end of bad decisions.

“It is a feeling of disappointment that we are always being punished and it is difficult to control the players with this feeling because they felt they worked hard and not got what they deserved.”

Asked whether he thought it was appropriate for the club to complain about the appointment of officials before a match, the Forest boss said: “I prefer not to answer if it is appropriate.

“It’s a feeling and trying to avoid what happened today and not raise any more suspicions or thoughts that no-one wants. It is about preventing.”

It is not the first time Forest have been incensed with refereeing decisions, and as a result they appointed former official Mark Clattenburg as a consultant analyst to fight their corner.

The PA news agency understands the Football Association is aware of the post and is investigating, and has contacted the PGMOL for comment.

Amid the furore, Everton moved five points clear of the relegation zone after goals in either half for Idrissa Gueye and Dwight McNeil.

The only downside to the day for the hosts was striker Beto being carried off after being knocked unconscious in a clash of heads.

“He definitely came around and could understand what is going on, a good early sign,” Toffees boss Sean Dyche said.

“It was fantastic how early the medical team came around, we hope for news over the next 24 to 48 hours.”

The Everton manager was happy to have secured back-to-back home wins either side of Monday’s 6-0 humiliation at Chelsea.

“It is very pleasing considering the madness of the current situation – two wins and two clean sheets in three games, sandwiched by a horrible performance,” he said.

“The reaction was very important today.”

West Ham boss David Moyes declared he was “embarrassed to be speaking on behalf of the team” after the Hammers’ European ambitions were dealt a significant blow in their 5-2 thrashing at Crystal Palace.

The visitors were already facing a 4-0 deficit 31 minutes after kick-off at Selhurst Park thanks to Michael Olise’s nodded opener and an audacious overhead Eberechi Eze effort as well as the first of two for Jean-Philippe Mateta and an Emerson own goal.

Antonio clawed one back before the break and Moyes’ men could take no credit for their second, a late own goal credited to Dean Henderson, who turned in Tyrick Mitchell’s backpass one minute from time.

Moyes, who shot back tersely when asked about his job security, was far more forthcoming when it came to his scathing assessment of the Irons’ performance, saying: “The first half was as bad as I’ve seen us play. We’ve had three or four of these incidents.

“I don’t think the team in the three years I have been here have gone to the depths, in three or four games this year. The first half was unacceptable. We mainly were defending, the way we started the game, we’re not connected in the way we’ve played.

“You can’t play this level of football in the Premier League. We didn’t compete. It was hard to actually explain it.

“I’m so disappointed for the supporters who came here today and in truth I’m embarrassed to sit here and actually be speaking on behalf of the team and the way they performed today but I’m the manager.

“I’ve got to say I’ve not had many teams who have played like that in my whole career.”

Moyes refused to blame tired legs from Thursday’s 1-1 Europa League quarter-final second leg draw with Leverkusen as an “excuse”, though when pressed for a “reason” conceded the tight turnaround probably did not help.

And while he was adamant Sunday’s defeat would have “nothing do do with” how he would approach potential contract negotiations, when asked if his side’s performance could take the choice of a continued tenure out of his hands, simply replied: “If it is then it is” then later refused to take further questions on the subject.

With Sunday’s defeat, the Hammers’ chances of returning to Europe next season look improbable, though the boss said his side will keep fighting until their fate is sealed.

He said: “We might still have a chance. Because we lost a couple of games doesn’t mean we don’t still have a chance. We still do have a chance. We’ll keep going, keep trying to do it.

“We’re just off the back of three years in Europe and it now sounds as though you’re talking about West Ham as a regular European team which is a big compliment, thank you very much.”

Palace sealed back-to-back wins for the first time this season after their 1-0 triumph at Liverpool and a third for boss Oliver Glasner since he replaced Roy Hodgson in February.

Glasner pointed to the easing of the injury crisis that has plagued Palace all season as a key factor in their improvement, with Sunday’s victory still a rare chance to witness what the Eagles can be capable of when the influential Eze and Olise are both healthy.

He added: “That’s our first back-to-back win and this is our challenge: to keep this motivation high, to keep the way we want to play in offence and defence.

“Because you always have to be concentrated, stay in your position, move the ball quick so that they don’t get the ball and this always starts in your mind if you are focused and concentrated.”

Unai Emery hailed a “fantastic” win that capped a “very good week” after Aston Villa came from behind to secure a 3-1 home win over Bournemouth.

Having gone a goal down through Dominic Solanke’s 31st-minute penalty, the hosts turned things around with Morgan Rogers equalising in first-half stoppage time and second-half efforts following from Moussa Diaby and Leon Bailey, both set up by Ollie Watkins, who is the Premier League’s leading assist maker this season on 12, to go with his 19 goals.

Villa again boosted their bid for Champions League football seven days after winning 2-0 at Arsenal, and three on from the penalty shootout triumph at Lille that took them into the Europa Conference League semi-finals.

With four league games to go, the midlands outfit are now six points clear in fourth of fifth-placed Tottenham, who have two games in hand.

Villa boss Emery said in his post-match press conference: “A very good week, very good, and today was fantastic.

“Of course, those three points were very important, and I think we can be proud of our work and proud of how we are being consistent and trying to fight with Tottenham.”

Villa can make the gap to Spurs nine points when they host Chelsea on Saturday, a day before Tottenham play their next match, at home against derby rivals Arsenal, and asked about that, Emery said: “Every match is very important.

“Here against Brentford (a 3-3 draw on April 6) we didn’t achieve three points and were disappointed. We used that match to analyse with the players, and I think the reaction of the players was fantastic at Arsenal, and was fantastic as well today.

“I think again the players are showing us their commitment to continue being demanding, to try to keep consistency at the end of the season.”

Emery was also asked about being linked with Bayern Munich, to which the Spaniard replied: “I am focused here, 100 per cent.”

Bournemouth stayed 13th, on 42 points with five games remaining.

The Cherries’ record Premier League points tally for a season is the 46 accrued when finishing ninth under Eddie Howe in 2016-17.

And boss Andoni Iraola said after the Villa game: “I think we have a clear goal right now and that is to beat the points record of Bournemouth.

“I think we can do it, but it’s not going to be easy because we have very difficult games. We play away again against Wolves, then we have Brighton, Arsenal away (also Brentford at home and Chelsea away) – games where if we want to get the points we want, we are going to have to have a very, very good performance. That is what we are looking for.

“Today we couldn’t do it, especially second half, and we need to improve if we want to get that.”

Television pundit Jamie Carragher has accused Nottingham Forest of lacking “class” after launching a social media broadside following a controversial Premier League defeat at Everton.

Relegation-threatened Forest were aggrieved not to be awarded three penalties – all against former England defender Ashley Young – as they lost 2-0 at Goodison Park, and later took aim at referees’ body Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL).

The club described the decisions as “extremely poor” and implied that VAR official Stuart Attwell was a Luton fan – the Hatters are also engaged in a survival fight in a post on its official X, formerly Twitter, account.

Responding to the post, Sky Sports pundit Carragher said: “It tells you where we are with the Premier League now and the clubs. Stuart Attwell and Anthony Taylor have had an horrific day today, awful, and they should be rightly criticised for that and that could have real implications for Nottingham Forest.

“I get the frustration, but that, what I’ve just read there on social media, that’s like a fan in a pub. That is embarrassing from Nottingham Forest. I get the frustration.

“That rubbish that VAR’s a Luton fan – you can’t get involved in that you’ve got to show a little bit of class if you’re a football club.

“I get it, the frustration – the officials had an awful day, terrible – but you can’t get involved in that, that’s nonsense.”

Fellow pundit Gary Neville added: “It’s horrendous, the statement by that football club, and it lets the proud history of that club down.

“The inferred cheating, as suggested by a Luton fan being a VAR official, is absolutely ridiculous.”

Forest have enlisted the services of former referee Mark Clattenburg as a consultant analyst to fight their corner after believing they have been on the wrong end of a series of contentious decisions.

Their post read: “Three extremely poor decisions – three penalties not given – which we simply cannot accept.

“We warned the PGMOL that the VAR is a Luton fan before the game, but they didn’t change him. Our patience has been tested multiple times.

“NFFC will now consider its options.”

However, former Forest forward Stan Collymore was critical of the move, which he fears may be counter-productive.

Collymore tweeted: “Take the high road and keep making representation via club secretary. That’s the accepted 150+ year protocol.

“I GUARANTEE the only thing social media and owner rants will do is create more issues. Take. The. High. Road. It’s. Nottingham. Forest. Not. A. Pub. Team.”

Liverpool moved level on points with top-of-the-table Arsenal after their 3-1 victory over Fulham at Craven Cottage.

Jurgen Klopp’s men bounced back from Thursday’s exit to Atalanta in the Europa League and last week’s home defeat to Crystal Palace as they continued their pursuit of Premier League glory.

Liverpool in second, who sit one point above Manchester City and trail Arsenal on goal difference, opened the scoring from Trent Alexander-Arnold’s free-kick before Timothy Castagne equalised with his first goal for Fulham.

Ryan Gravenberch and Diogo Jota were the difference-makers in the second half as they got in on the act to give their side all three points.

Fulham academy graduate Harvey Elliott, who swapped London for Merseyside in 2019, was galvanised by the home boos as he helped his side create the first chance of the match.

The attacking midfield player instinctively picked out Alexander-Arnold whose cross could not be directed in by Luis Diaz’s glancing header as the ball narrowly missed the inside of Bernd Leno’s post.

In the 22nd minute Alexander-Arnold showed off his elite ball-playing ability as the visitors’ momentum continued.

Alexander-Arnold received the ball centrally and he delivered a first-time side-footed pass in behind Fulham full-back Antonee Robinson before Diaz’s fizzed low cross to Jota was struck wide of the right-hand post as the Reds squandered another golden opportunity to take the lead.

Liverpool’s persistence was rewarded and their deserved breakthrough came in the 32nd minute through the technical Alexander-Arnold who made it 1-0.

Joao Palhinha picked up his customary yellow card when he brought down Jota on the counter attack, allowing Alexander-Arnold to stand over the set-piece in an almost central position yards from the edge of the area.

The set-piece specialist struck the ball with a whipped technique which evaded the helpless Fulham wall before the ball nestled into the top left-hand corner.

The Cottagers had been dormant all half but they came alive in added time to equalise.

After Andreas Pereira instilled belief inside Craven Cottage with a dangerous free-kick which tested Alisson Becker, Rodrigo Muniz’s blocked header off Alex Iwobi’s cross fell kindly to the unmarked Castagne who slammed his effort home from close range.

But parity did not last long as in the 53rd minute Liverpool punished a series of errors to retake the lead.

A period of shoddy defending saw Iwobi with the ball at his feet on the edge of his box but the Nigeria international’s wayward pass found Elliott in a dangerous position.

The 21-year-old opted to lay the ball off to Gravenberch and the Dutchman’s first-time curled effort flew past Leno to make it 2-1.

Liverpool wrapped up the win in the 72nd minute after Cody Gakpo’s pass split the defence and Jota finished with a strike into the bottom right-hand corner.

Crystal Palace dealt a heavy blow to West Ham’s ambitions of playing European football next season with a 5-2 victory at Selhurst Park.

Palace, who had not previously scored more than three goals in a league contest this season, led by four inside 31 minutes, opening the scoring with a Michael Olise header before Eberechi Eze made it two with a superb bicycle kick.

Emerson intensified the Irons’ woes when he turned the ball into his own net before Jean-Philippe Mateta got on the scoresheet just after the half hour mark.

Antonio clawed one back for the visitors before the break but Mateta bagged his second in the 64th minute to re-establish the four-goal buffer.

Just as it looked to be the exclamation mark on a thumping victory, Palace keeper Dean Henderson was caught out and allowed Tyrick Mitchell’s backpass to skip past his foot and into the hosts’ net.

Defeat leaves West Ham eighth, two points adrift of Newcastle and Manchester United above them who both have two games in hand.

Joachim Andersen’s lovely clipped cross set up Olise to nod past Lukasz Fabianski for the seventh-minute opener as Palace began in fine fashion.

Mitchell nearly made it two, blazing over after he was released by Eze, who soon double Palace’s lead.

Fabianski got just enough of his boot on Mateta’s low effort but the ball rebounded in the path of Eze, who obliged in acrobatic style with a magnificent bicycle kick.

Palace were three goals to the good when Will Hughes clipped the ball towards an onrushing Daniel Munoz at the back post, where the unfortunate Emerson instead deflected it past his own keeper.

The chances kept coming, all for Palace, who stole the ball away from the Hammers in midfield, eventually allowing Olise to send a delivery across the face of goal for Mateta to tap home.

The Hammers finally enjoyed a spell inside the hosts’ final third shortly after the half hour mark,  when Angelo Ogbonna nodded one of the visitors’ lone chances over the bar.

It was the beginning of a slightly more settled period for David Moyes’ men, who clawed one back in the 40th minute when Antonio poked Tomas Soucek’s header past Henderson, the goal standing after a VAR check.

The Palace keeper was called into action to deny Mohammed Kudus’ low effort, clinging to the ball in his lap as opportunistic white shirts buzzed around him at the goal-line to pounce on a spill that never came, and it was the Eagles who came closest before the break when Andersen nodded over.

Henderson claimed Emerson’s cross to kick-start the second half when Moyes made a pair of substitutions, replacing Ogbonna with Aaron Cresswell and Soucek – who had been booked late in the first period – with Ben Johnson.

Fabianski made a big diving save to deny Eze and Palace were dealt a blow when Adam Wharton, who has shone since his January signing, was forced off after colliding with Emerson and replaced by Naouirou Ahamada just past the hour mark.

Mateta restored the hosts’ four-goal advantage less than three minutes later, latching on to a pass from Eze through the legs of Kurt Zouma and into the bottom corner.

Just as the Frenchman’s second strike looked to settle the scoreline, Palace’s season-long habit of conceding late goals came back to haunt them, only this time it was one entirely of their own doing – Henderson’s gaffe putting a late downer on his side’s emphatic triumph.

Aston Villa’s push to secure Champions League football continued as Unai Emery’s men came from behind to beat Bournemouth 3-1 at Villa Park.

Having gone a goal down through Dominic Solanke’s 31st-minute penalty, Villa turned things around with Morgan Rogers equalising in first-half stoppage time, Moussa Diaby putting them ahead just before the hour mark and Leon Bailey subsequently adding a third in the 78th minute.

Ollie Watkins set up the finishes from Diaby and Bailey as he became the Premier League’s outright leading assist maker this season with 12, to go with the 19 goals that see him sit only one behind joint leaders Erling Haaland and Cole Palmer in the Golden Boot race.

The result, strengthening Villa’s grip on fourth place, caps an excellent few days for the midlands outfit after last Sunday’s 2-0 win at Arsenal and Thursday’s penalty shootout triumph at Lille that took them into the Europa Conference League semi-finals.

With four league games to go they are six points clear of fifth-placed Tottenham, who have two games in hand. Andoni Iraola’s Bournemouth stay 13th.

A bright start from Villa saw Watkins’ shot deflect over off Illia Zabarnyi, John McGinn drive wide and Pau Torres just fail to connect with Diaby’s delivery at the far post.

Bournemouth threatened just past the quarter-hour mark when Justin Kluivert’s firm hit brought a good save out of Emiliano Martinez.

And after Diaby scuffed off-target from a good position, the visitors exerted further pressure, with shots from Dango Ouattara and Ryan Christie going wide before Milos Kerkez was brought down by Matty Cash – scorer of a vital late goal at Lille – and referee Tim Robinson pointed to the spot.

Martinez had pulled off two saves in Thursday’s shootout, but was unable to produce one on this occasion as Solanke rifled past the Argentinian for his 18th league goal of the season.

Cash, looking to make swift amends, fired wide soon after, before Kluivert did the same via a deflection.

Rogers then brought the game back level just prior to the interval, latching on to fine ball from Bailey, cutting inside Adam Smith and lashing into the net.

And the hosts subsequently moved in front 12 minutes into the second half when Watkins laid the ball to Diaby and the Frenchman finished from close range.

Martinez then did well again as he parried Ouattara’s header, and after Rogers found the side netting, Bournemouth substitute Antoine Semenyo skewed into the stand.

Watkins tried his luck in the 75th minute, driving wide, and moments later he ended up as provider again as he sent the ball goalwards and Bailey was on hand to tap in for 3-1.

Nottingham Forest have launched a bitter attack on referees chiefs after they were denied three penalties during their costly 2-0 Premier League defeat at Everton.

Forest were furious not to be awarded spot-kicks by Anthony Taylor for challenges on Giovanni Reyna and Callum Hudson-Odoi by Ashley Young, who in the meantime had looked fortunate to escape a handball decision with VAR official Stuart Attwell backing the referee.

Minutes after the final whistle, the relegation-threatened club posted on X: “Three extremely poor decisions – three penalties not given – which we simply cannot accept.

“We warned the PGMOL that the VAR is a Luton fan before the game, but they didn’t change him. Our patience has been tested multiple times.

“NFFC will now consider its options.”

The PA news agency has contacted the PGMOL – Professional Game Match Officials Limited – for comment.

Everton eased their relegation worries with 2-0 victory over fellow strugglers Nottingham Forest, who once again had reason to feel aggrieved about refereeing decisions going against them.

A rare goal from Idrissa Gueye was followed by a similar long-range strike from Dwight McNeil on his 200th Premier League appearance to secure a second-successive home win – sandwiching Monday’s 6-0 debacle at Chelsea – and lift Sean Dyche’s side five points clear of the bottom three.

But Toffees defender Ashley Young lived a charmed life after appearing somewhat fortunate to escape three penalty claims against him, which the visitors felt were all more than justified.

Both clubs have had cause to rail against the Premier League this season: the hosts had eight points deducted for breaches of profitability and sustainability rules, although they are appealing against the latest docking of two.

Forest, whose appeal against the four they had taken away will be heard next week, have been so incensed by some of the officiating against them they appointed former referee Mark Clattenburg as a consultant analyst.

He is likely to be over-employed again after Young’s tackles on Gio Reyna and Callum Hudson-Odoi, whose shot also hit the defender’s arm, were all waved on by referee Anthony Taylor with VAR offering no reason to reverse any of the decisions to leave them a point above the relegation zone.

Dyche made four alterations from the Stamford Bridge embarrassment but it was not the only change as the manager abandoned his usual matchday uniform of black mackintosh and black suit for training gear.

But if he was hoping to give off the air of a man confident of his game plan – having said on Friday he had told the players he would not allow them to get him the sack – it was not apparent for almost half-an-hour.

Former Liverpool defender Neco Williams had an early shot parried by Jordan Pickford; Everton’s first attempt on target – Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s weak header – did not arrive until the 27th minute.

Their next attempt proved far more valuable, however. Gueye had previously scored one Premier League goal from 99 attempts from outside the area so it was perhaps not surprising Forest’s defence were content to stand off the midfielder when he carried the ball forward previously, working on the assumption Everton had more dangerous players in possession.

But that tactic was misguided on this occasion as Gueye controlled Ola Aina’s poor header and found the gap low down between Matz Sels’ right hand and the far post from just outside the area.

It was only the Senegal international’s fifth goal in 187 league appearances across two spells for the club and his first in the league goal at Goodison since February 2017.

His only other strike this season was a late winner in the 3-2 victory at Crystal Palace in mid-November.

Pickford’s brilliant save from a Chris Wood shot – five minutes before the interval – ensured that lead was maintained, as did VAR’s insistence Young’s arm was in a natural position from Hudson-Odoi’s volley.

Calvert-Lewin squandered the chance to give Everton some breathing space early in the second half when he fired wide from James Tarkowski’s knockdown, before Young tested the officials’ judgement once again when he went into the back of Hudson-Odoi.

Forest were still dictating play when Morgan Gibbs-White guided a shot over Pickford but wide and that miss proved costly when McNeil, like Gueye in the first half, squeezed a low shot in between Sels’ outstretched arm and the post, the ball going in off the inside of the upright.

Striker Beto, on as a replacement for Calvert-Lewin, departed on a stretcher late on after a clash of heads but even 17 minutes of additional time were not enough for a toothless Forest to launch a comeback.

Burnley goalkeeper Arijanet Muric believes his side will win their survival bid and extend their stay in the Premier League.

The Clarets have been in the bottom three all season but have taken 10 points from their last seven games after Saturday’s 4-1 win at relegation rivals Sheffield United.

Muric, who made a string of outstanding saves at Bramall Lane to help secure Vincent Kompany’s side their second league win of the year, said: “I think we as a team you can see after every game the energy’s back.

“We believe in it every day, it’s not just saying it. Everyone looks like we believe in it. We had some good games in the previous games and I think we’ll be good. We’re going to do it I think.”

Burnley climbed to within three points of 17th-placed Nottingham Forest before their game on Sunday at fellow strugglers Everton.

Muric made crucial saves to deny Oli McBurnie and Ben Brereton Diaz before Jacob Bruun Larsen and Lorenz Assignon gave the Clarets a barely-deserved 2-0 half-time lead.

Gus Hamer pulled one back for the Blades but Lyle Foster and Johann Berg Gudmundsson added further goals for the visitors.

Muric also made a brilliant flying save to keep out James McAtee’s curling effort and when asked about his performance, the Kosovo keeper said: “Yes, it’s my job.

“Today it went well and I’m happy that I could save some goals and we could take the win.”

Blades boss Chris Wilder conceded after the game that his side’s season was over as they remain cast adrift at the bottom with five games to go.

Home goalkeeper Ivo Grbic turned in another unconvincing display as he was beaten too easily by Burnley’s first two scruffy goals and Wilder said he was considering taking him out of the firing line.

The Croatia international was drafted in during the January transfer window after a series of mistakes from previous number one Wes Foderingham earlier in the season.

Wilder said: “Obviously we made a decision and it was an opportunity to bring (Grbic) in. There was a reason we brought him in, we weren’t comfortable in that position.

“Let’s get it right, I don’t think anyone was comfortable in that position. So everyone was clamouring and we thought it was the right thing to do, but obviously it’s not been a great start for the big man.

“Goals are going in too easily, I don’t think there’s much protection in front of him from a defensive point of view.”

Asked if Grbic could be dropped for Wednesday’s game at Manchester Unmited, Wilder added: “Well, we’ll make a decision over the weekend. It’s something we talk non-stop about, positions and how we want to set up.”

Match-winner Bernardo Silva has accused the Football Association of not caring about the wellbeing of players over the scheduling of Manchester City’s FA Cup semi-final.

Silva scored the late clincher as a weary-looking City ground out a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Chelsea at Wembley on Saturday to book a second-successive final appearance.

Yet – after the game – manager Pep Guardiola hit out at the decision to make City play less than three days after they were taken to a penalty shootout in their draining Champions League quarter-final loss to Real Madrid.

He contrasted this to the preparation time afforded to Sunday’s semi-finalists Manchester United and Coventry, neither of whom had midweek fixtures, and branded the situation “unacceptable”.

Those sentiments were echoed by Silva, who felt City had been treated unfairly.

The Portuguese said: “We didn’t play on a level field because the FA didn’t give us a chance to recover, which in my opinion is not reasonable at all.

“I’m saying this because we won. If we didn’t win, I wouldn’t say it because I don’t like to find excuses, but I don’t think it’s acceptable we had to play (on Saturday).

“It’s too much. We played 120 minutes less than three days (prior) and we had to play against a team that didn’t travel because they’re from London.

“And they had five days waiting for us and thinking about our game. There’s no excuse for the game to not be Sunday. It’s not acceptable. For all of us as a team, that’s how we feel.

“It looks like they don’t care because we’ve said it many times. It’s not about wanting to be favourites, it’s about health.”

Silva feels there could be greater consideration given to the impact of European competitions on players when domestic fixtures are scheduled.

He said: “I wasn’t fine at all. I’ll be honest, I was feeling my left hamstring and my right calf. This is not fair for Man City, for us.

“I say Man City – maybe other clubs went through it. This is just our personal experience.

“They have to pay more attention to these details. We represent England in these European competitions and it’s important for England, for this country, for other clubs to qualify for the Champions League, Europa League, Conference League. So they need to pay more attention.”

The FA has not commented directly but its position on such matters is that the needs of the clubs, local authorities, police and broadcasters all need to be considered and balanced. It schedules all ties collaboratively.

In this case, the matter is also complicated by Chelsea having a rearranged Premier League game against Arsenal next Tuesday.

Tottenham have confirmed left-back Destiny Udogie will miss the rest of the season after undergoing surgery on his left thigh.

Udogie has flourished in his first campaign in the Premier League and made 30 appearances in all competitions for Spurs.

The Italian defender has caught the eye with his ventures into midfield under Ange Postecoglou but he revealed on Saturday night his 2023-24 campaign was over.

Spurs said in a statement on their website: “We can confirm that Destiny Udogie has undergone surgery to his left quadriceps, having sustained an injury in training earlier this week.

“The defender will continue his rehabilitation with our medical staff and is expected to rejoin the squad during pre-season.”

News of Udogie’s injury is untimely for a Tottenham team who lost 4-0 at Newcastle last weekend. Spurs lost ground in the battle for Champions League qualification as a result and are currently three points behind fourth-placed Aston Villa.

Thomas Frank is excited about Brentford’s attacking potential going into next season after Saturday’s 5-1 thrashing of Luton.

The Bees ran riot at Kenilworth Road with Yoane Wissa on target twice and Bryan Mbeumo able to pull the strings as the fulcrum of a fluid attack.

Keane Lewis-Potter also got on the scoresheet along with substitute Kevin Schade, while Mikkel Damsgaard caught the eye in a display all the more impressive given Ivan Toney’s absence.

With Toney eager to move on this summer, the five-goal spree at Luton was a timely example of Brentford being able to show there will be life after the anticipated departure of their talisman.

“We were very good offensively,” Frank acknowledged.

“Wissa getting two goals, a fantastic goal. Keane got a goal, Kevin Schade coming off the bench and got a goal.

“Bryan probably should have got a goal, but was at least two assists and was involved in all the goals, so very pleased with that.

“I think it is promising. I was actually going into this season very optimistic.

“I am always optimistic. Sometimes too optimistic! But I think it is good to have belief in your players.

“Then we have been so unlucky with injuries. You can see when we get more of our best players back the potential in the team.”

Saturday’s comprehensive win extended Brentford’s unbeaten run to five matches and Frank has set the target of ending a “tough season” on a high.

The Bees could be boosted by the return of Toney at Everton next weekend after he was absent at Luton due to his ongoing hip issue.

Frank revealed: “He was very close. If this was a play-off final, which it wasn’t, then I would have played him, but we need to get him absolutely right and fully fit.

“I meant what I said before, after Sheffield United, that I thought he would be ready for this game. It was just too short so I strongly believe he is ready for Everton. I really hope that.”

Meanwhile, Luton boss Rob Edwards admitted there would be no major repercussions following their second consecutive 5-1 loss.

“I didn’t rant and rave,” Edwards explained.

“I am not sure it would have had too much of an effect right there and right then. It might be a case on Monday. I’ll see how I feel once I have reviewed things.

“This week we need to show the things we’ve not done well enough and try to correct some things, but at this stage of the season as well what we can’t do now is lose people or blame people.

“I can’t become a different person just because we’ve lost a game of football.”

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta stood in unison with Manchester City counterpart Pep Guardiola in condemning the fixture schedule.

Guardiola said it was “unacceptable” that his side had to play an FA Cup semi-final less than 72 hours after being in action in the Champions League on Wednesday night as they beat Chelsea at Wembley on Saturday tea-time.

The Gunners’ plight was arguably worse as they were also in Europe on Wednesday night but had to travel back from Germany on Thursday following their Champions League exit to Bayern Munich.

They made light of that quick turnaround as they beat Wolves 2-0 on Saturday to go back to the top of the Premier League before they play again on Tuesday night against Chelsea.

“It’s not about us, Pep or myself, it’s about the well-being of the players,” Arteta said after Leandro Trossard and Martin Odegaard goals sent his side one point above City.

“Especially when you are competing in European competition, everything has to be competed in the same way.

“You cannot have a team that hasn’t played for seven days or three days before and has more recovery time and you have to play in the Premier League or the FA Cup.

“It is not right. If you look at it any angle it’s not right. If you want to protect and you always talk about the players and the protagonists, let’s protect them and think about them and do everything we can to give them the maximum time so they can recover and they can maintain the show they put on every week.

“We stayed in Munich, I think we had two hours sleep, wake up and we started to talk about Wolves first of all and then understand what we had to do to win the game.

“The boys were unbelievable. You look at the amount of games we have played in the last few weeks, the type of games we have played and the attitude and the way they have run today is top.”

It was a good recovery from the Gunners after a horror week where their title hopes were damaged by a 2-0 home defeat to Aston Villa last week before their Champions League exit in Munich.

But they could be four points clear of City by the time Guardiola’s side next play as they try to wrestle control of a thrilling title race.

Arteta added: “It was really good, I really liked the performance, the result, the clean sheet but also the way individually and a team they showed they still have a step forward to make.

“We realised we want to be involved in big competitions, fighting for the Champions League, fighting for the Premier League, the level it requires, we have to do something special. You have to have that love to compete.”

Wolves battled hard but are crippled by injuries, with the majority of their key attacking players sidelined.

They are now six games without a win, but boss Gary O’Neil was proud.

“I thought it was an incredible performance, it exceeded my expectation of what we were able to produce today,” he said.

“We didn’t deserve to lose 2-0, losing 1-0 and not quite being able to break them down is probably as bad as it should have been for us.

“We came up just short against one of the best teams in world football so there’s no disgrace in that.”

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta stood in unison with Manchester City counterpart Pep Guardiola in condemning the fixture schedule.

Guardiola said it was “unacceptable” that his side had to play an FA Cup semi-final less than 72 hours after being in action in the Champions League on Wednesday night as they beat Chelsea at Wembley on Saturday tea-time.

The Gunners’ plight was arguably worse as they were also in Europe on Wednesday night but had to travel back from Germany on Thursday following their Champions League exit to Bayern Munich.

They made light of that quick turnaround as they beat Wolves 2-0 on Saturday to go back to the top of the Premier League before they play again on Tuesday night against Chelsea.

“It’s not about us, Pep or myself, it’s about the well-being of the players,” Arteta said after Leandro Trossard and Martin Odegaard goals sent his side one point above City.

“Especially when you are competing in European competition, everything has to be competed in the same way.

“You cannot have a team that hasn’t played for seven days or three days before and has more recovery time and you have to play in the Premier League or the FA Cup.

“It is not right. If you look at it any angle it’s not right. If you want to protect and you always talk about the players and the protagonists, let’s protect them and think about them and do everything we can to give them the maximum time so they can recover and they can maintain the show they put on every week.

“We stayed in Munich, I think we had two hours sleep, wake up and we started to talk about Wolves first of all and then understand what we had to do to win the game.

“The boys were unbelievable. You look at the amount of games we have played in the last few weeks, the type of games we have played and the attitude and the way they have run today is top.”

It was a good recovery from the Gunners after a horror week where their title hopes were damaged by a 2-0 home defeat to Aston Villa last week before their Champions League exit in Munich.

But they could be four points clear of City by the time Guardiola’s side next play as they try to wrestle control of a thrilling title race.

Arteta added: “It was really good, I really liked the performance, the result, the clean sheet but also the way individually and a team they showed they still have a step forward to make.

“We realised we want to be involved in big competitions, fighting for the Champions League, fighting for the Premier League, the level it requires, we have to do something special. You have to have that love to compete.”

Wolves battled hard but are crippled by injuries, with the majority of their key attacking players sidelined.

They are now six games without a win, but boss Gary O’Neil was proud.

“I thought it was an incredible performance, it exceeded my expectation of what we were able to produce today,” he said.

“We didn’t deserve to lose 2-0, losing 1-0 and not quite being able to break them down is probably as bad as it should have been for us.

“We came up just short against one of the best teams in world football so there’s no disgrace in that.”