Exclusive: Chris Wood ‘diver’ claim as Nottingham Forest denied penalty v Everton
Chris Wood has endured a difficult time of late for Nottingham Forest and may have been hard done by in his side’s defeat to Everton, Keith Hackett has suggested.
The former PGMOL chief and ex-FIFA official exclusively told Football Insider that the centre-forward could have been given a penalty for a push by Jake O’Brien as the Irish defender signified his own “guilt”.
Following some excellent form earlier this season, Wood signed a new contract with Nottingham Forest until the end of the 2026/27 campaign.
However, the New Zealand international has now failed to score in his last six Premier League appearances for Nuno Espirito Santo’s side.
Chris Wood denied penalty as struggles continue
Having returned to action after picking up an injury on international duty, Wood was below-par as Nottingham Forest took on Everton at The City Ground on Saturday (12 April).
He was though, also denied a spot kick during the second half of the game, when he went to ground inside the Everton six-yard box after contact in the back from O’Brien.
In the end though, Wood‘s appeals were waved away by referee Craig Pawson, with VAR electing not to intervene.
| Chris Wood key stats 2024/25 | Total (as per Transfermarkt) |
| Appearances | 33 |
| Goals | 18 |
| Assists | 3 |
| Yellow Cards | 1 |
| Red Cards | 0 |
That would prove costly for his side, as Abdoulaye Doucoure went on to score a stoppage time winner for Everton.
Now, Hackett has suggested that the centre-forward was hard done by over the decision not to award him a spot kick.
Nottingham Forest frustrated by penalty call in Everton defeat
After being asked by Football Insider if the Nottingham Forest star could have had a penalty for that push by O’Brien, Hackett said:
“I think one of the things we’ve got is they talk about a sustained push. I just think that the bar on pushing is too high.
“So I think in this situation if they lowered the level of the bar and said ‘a push is a push’ then it doesn’t matter about the strength of the push then they penalise it.
“But at the moment the bar is such that they’re not going to give that one. So for me, it’s one of those that you can and cannot give.
“The signal that says it’s a push worthy of a penalty kick is the reaction of the Everton player, who after the push raises his hands and says ‘it’s not me’.
“I’ve seen them given. I’ve seen them not given. I think Nottingham Forest are unfortunate not to get a penalty on that one.
“I think they just take the view that because it’s Wood, he’s going to go ground but he’s not that type of player, he’s not a diver in my view.
“In a way he’s an old-fashioned centre-forward and yeah he pushes a bit but I think the signal that says there’s an act of guilt is by the player who’s committed the offence his hands in the air saying ‘it’s not me’.”
Following that defeat, Nottingham Forest could drop out of thrid place in the Premier League table if Newcastle win their game in hand against Crystal Palace on Wednesday (16 April).