Nottingham Forest boss Nuno Espirito Santo and defender Neco Williams charged with misconduct by the FA following comments about officials’ integrity following Everton defeat.

Nottingham Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo and defender Neco Williams have been charged with misconduct by the FA following comments made following the club’s recent defeat to Everton.

Forest have been hampered in their bid to avoid relegation this season by a host of questionable refereeing decisions and felt aggrieved against Everton after having several penalty requests refused.

The club were under investigation after questioning the integrity of video referee Stuart Attwell after the match, with Santo and Williams among those furious at decisions that went against them at Goodison Park.

The FA placed Forest under investigation for their post-match comments and have now charged the duo, while also formally warning former referee Mark Clattenberg regarding comments he made in his role as an advisor to the club.

“Nottingham Forest, Nuno Espirito Santo and Neco Williams have been charged with misconduct in relation to comments they made following their Premier League match against Everton on Sunday 21 April,” the FA began their statement.

Forest defender Neco Williams was also charged over his comments following their defeat to Everton.

Mark Clattenburg was also “formally warned” by the FA after comments he made as the club’s former refereeing analyst.

“It is alleged that the comments made by the club, coach and player constitute inappropriate conduct in that they imply bias and/or call into question the integrity of match officials and/or bring discredit to the game.”

“Nottingham Forest, Santo and Williams have until Thursday May 9 to provide their respective responses.

“Mark Clattenburg has been formally warned regarding his future conduct in relation to the comments he made after this match,” the statement concluded.

Forest felt they had been unfairly treated by officials overseeing the bottom-of-the-table clash against Everton and claimed in an online post that they had complained to the PGMOL about the decision to place Atwell on VAR duty as they thought he was a fan of relegation rivals Luton.

The critical comments were backed up by Santo who said in his post-match interview at Goodison Park: “I share the feeling of the club. We are not comfortable with the referees.

Williams also told Sky Sports: “Look, these are three clear and blatant penalties. Everyone watching this game knew it was all about penalties. They are clear. Every week this happens now. We receive decisions against us.

“I do not know why. Is it because we are a bottom half of the table crew? Because I guarantee the top six teams will get them each.

“I know that every person who watched this game today knew that these three sanctions were clear and blatant. It’s ridiculous. It’s week after week that we receive these decisions against us,” he added .

Nottingham Forest players were furious over penalty calls going against them at Goodison Park

Everton defender Ashley Young was at the center of three controversial penalty calls

One of the challenges saw Young clip the back of Giovanni Reyna’s foot inside the penalty area.

Clattenburg’s warning comes after he commented on the decisions against Forest in his Mail Sport column.

Former Manchester United star Ashley Young was at the center of three controversial decisions during the match but went unpunished when on-field referee Anthony Taylor rejected calls for a spot-kick to be awarded to goal.

Referee Anthony Taylor was never sent to review any of the three controversial calls on the pitchside monitor at Goodison Park.

The first incident occurred when Young kicked Giovanni Reyna’s foot in the Everton box.

He then appeared to use his arm to stop Callum Hudson-Odoi’s cross, but Taylor has yet to be advised to review the play on the pitchside monitor.

The final penalty came after Young ran through the back of Hudson-Odoi and cleared the Forest star as he attempted to regain possession.

Meanwhile, Clattenburg resigned from his analyst role at Forest on Thursday after admitting his position had “become more of a hindrance than a help” for the club.