Referee chiefs Howard Webb will ‘admit Nottingham Forest should have been awarded a penalty in Everton’s defeat’… but Nuno Espirito Santo’s side ‘still face FOUR charges from the FA’ for having publicly blasted officials.

Howard Webb, the Premier League’s head of refereeing, will admit Nottingham Forest should have been awarded a penalty in their controversial defeat to Everton earlier this month, according to a new report.

The visitors to Goodison Park felt aggrieved at not being awarded a single spot-kick in the Championship match, saying they had three clear cases for a penalty to be awarded in their favor, all centered on the United defender Toffees Ashley Young.

They posted a message on X (formerly Twitter) criticizing the decision-making of referee Anthony Taylor and his team immediately after the match.

Later, Nottingham Forest representative Mark Clattenburg, a former referee, added his own views on the matter in an opinion piece for Mail Sport.

The Sun reports that Webb will admit Nottingham Forest should have been handed a penalty at Everton – but also that the club could face four charges from the FA for their responses.

Howard Webb is set to admit Nottingham Forest should have been awarded a penalty at Everton

Ashley Young’s challenge on Callum Hudson-Odoi from behind should have been reviewed

The club are expected to face four charges from the FA in relation to their comments after the end of the match.

The club, manager Nuno Espirito Santo, defender Neco Williams and ‘referee analyst’ Clattenburg are set to receive charges from the FA, with the Premier League considering charging Nottingham Forest for failing to act “with the utmost great good faith” in relation to the match and the aftermath.

Forest’s inflammatory social media post claimed VAR manager Stuart Attwell was a Luton Town fan, which influenced his decision not to have those penalty appeals reconsidered.

The Premier League’s Key Match Incidents Committee ruled that the third incident, in which Taylor considered Young to have played the ball before making contact with Callum Hudson-Odoi, was “a foul”, and that it should have been seen on the monitor next to the pitch.

However, the panel decided that two earlier decisions – one related to a handball and the other related to a different challenge earlier in the match – were correct.

The panel is made up of former players, managers and referees who study every VAR decision to improve future performances.

Webb will publicly accept that a mistake was made in the latest monthly edition of “Match Officials Mic’d Up,” filmed Monday night and broadcast Tuesday.

Mail Sport previously reported that Webb was ready to enter peace talks with owners Nottingham Forest, playing them VAR audio of their three penalty appeals.

PGMOL’s protocol is to make VAR audio available to any club that requests it, something Forest did publicly in the days following the 2-0 defeat at Goodison Park.

Referee Anthony Taylor and VAR official Stuart Attwell were criticized after the match.

Nottingham Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo should be charged over his comments

Forest refereeing consultant Mark Clattenburg also faces the prospect of formal charges

Nottingham Forest followed up their 2-0 defeat to Everton with the same scoreline in their defeat to Manchester City on Sunday.

They have games against Sheffield United, Chelsea and Burnley as they look to avoid relegation from the Premier League, one point clear of Luton in 18th and two clear of the Clarets in 19th.