Bernardo Silva criticizes Premier League officiating after Manchester City draw with Nottingham Forest

Man City star Bernardo Silva hits out at Premier League officiating after Erling Haaland was denied a penalty in the 2-2 draw against Nottingham Forest.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 5, 2026, 4:25 AM EST

Source: The information in this article was sourced from Football365

Dented Title Ambitions at the Etihad

Manchester City’s pursuit of another Premier League title faced a significant setback on Wednesday evening as they were held to a 2-2 draw by Nottingham Forest. Despite goals from Antoine Semenyo and Rodri, the Citizens were unable to secure all three points, twice relinquishing their lead to the visiting side. Goals from Morgan Gibbs-White and Elliot Anderson ensured Forest left Manchester with a point, a result that became even more impactful as Arsenal simultaneously secured a 1-0 victory over Brighton. The combination of these scores has widened the margin at the top of the table in favor of the London club.

Controversial Penalty Incident

The post-match discourse centered on a late incident in the Forest penalty area where Erling Haaland appeared to be brought down by goalkeeper Matz Sels. While Manchester City players and staff appealed for a spot-kick that would have likely secured a 3-1 lead, a brief VAR review concluded without a recommendation for the on-field official to overturn the initial decision. Minutes after the appeal was dismissed, Elliot Anderson found the back of the net for Forest, leveling the score and ultimately forcing City to settle for a draw.

Silva Critiques Referees

Following the final whistle, Bernardo Silva did not hold back his dissatisfaction with the officiating standards in the Premier League. Silva asserted that the squad has become accustomed to marginal decisions going against them throughout the 2026 campaign. He stated that the incident involving Haaland was a clear penalty in his view and suggested that the team "knows how it works" regarding 50-50 calls this season. Despite his frustration, Silva noted that the players must focus on their own performances rather than factors outside of their control.