Nottingham Forest fans will feel hard done by that Issa Diop wasn't sent off when he wiped out James McAtee on the edge of his own area as the last man during Friday evening's Premier League match

Lee Hendrie believes Issa Diop was "really, really lucky," not to be sent off during Friday night's Premier League clash between Ipswich Town and Nottingham Forest.

The Tricky Trees made their way to Portman Road for the encounter, which got underway at 8pm, with hopes of kickstarting their 2026/27 season following a mixed-bag start.

Forest managed just one win from their opening seven matches, racking up two draws and four losses, hovering around the relegation zone as a result.

As a result Oliver Glasner will have held high hopes of turning the tide against Premier League new boys, Ipswich, who to their credit have fared far better under Gary O'Neil's guidance.

It was Neco Williams who opened the scoring for the visitors just 13 minutes into play, Daniel Munoz finding the versatile full-back unmarked at the back post with a looping cross.

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However Julio Enciso ensured that the hosts headed into the half-time interval on level terms with around four minutes of the first left to play.

The attacking-midfielder picked the pocket of Nikola Milenkovic in the middle of the park, driving goalward before putting it low and to the left of a rushing Matz Sels.

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On any other day, Forest may have found themselves with a numerical advantage early into the second-half, with Diop bringing down a surging James McAtee on the edge of his own area as the last man back in the 48th minute.

Referee, Tom Bramall initially saw nothing in the challenge as play continued, only for VAR to urge him to take a closer look at the pitch-side monitor moments later.

After coming to a verdict, the official was heard telling fans inside Portman Road: "After review, there is a foul by Ipswich No. Six. However, because the player knocks it to the right side of the goal, the final decision is direct free-kick and a yellow card for No. six."

The Premier League Match Centre also wrote on X: "After VAR review for a possible denial of an obvious goal-scoring opportunity (DOGSO), the referee issued a yellow card to Diop for stopping a promising attack."

However, Hendrie, providing co-commentary for Sky Sports' coverage of the encounter was not in agreement. He said: "It is slightly away from goal isn't it? Which is definitely does Diop so many favours, cause anywhere closer...even still, I'm looking at that, and I feel that that is really, really lucky he's got away with that.

"I'm sorry, I know he's saying it's diverted away, but no. I'm not with that at all. I'm really not. I don't think he's touched it away from goal at all there. I think it's straight ahead. For me, I don't want to see red but I think that's a red card."

More to follow...