Former referee Dermot Gallagher dissects the flashpoints from the weekend’s Scottish Premiership motion, together with three incidents in Rangers’ win at Livingston and Aberdeen defender Slobodan Rubezic’s problem on Celtic striker Kyogo Furuhashi.
Livingston 0-2 Rangers
INCIDENT: Connor Goldson’s opening aim for Rangers is disallowed for offside following a VAR examine
DERMOT’S VERDICT: Appropriate resolution
DERMOT SAYS: “It’s similar to the Harry Maguire one last week at Fulham. He’s in an offside position, he clearly goes for the ball so he impacts the keeper and it’s disallowed.”
INCIDENT: Rangers awarded a penalty after Ross McCausland went down within the field
DERMOT’S VERDICT: Fallacious resolution
DERMOT SAYS: “Not a foul. It looks a foul at first but when you see it there, the referee hasn’t got it right, it’s not a foul. He buckles his own legs.”
Pundit Sue Smith provides: “It’s not a foul, he’s going down before contact,” earlier than Danny Mills mentioned: “If there is any contact…terrible dive.”
INCIDENT: Ross McCausland’s aim for Rangers is disallowed for a foul within the build-up.
DERMOT’S VERDICT: Proper resolution
DERMOT SAYS: “Sima pushes the first defender on the six-yard line, doesn’t he? The referee spots that. Disallowed.”
What the pundits mentioned
On Rangers’ first penalty, Sutton mentioned: “It’s a clear dive. I do not understand why the VAR official isn’t talking to the referee. That should never have been a penalty. It was probably justice from Livingston’s perspective.”
On McCausland’s disallowed aim, McFadden mentioned: “I don’t think it’s a foul and I think the goal should stand. It’s a brilliant finish.”
Boyd added: “The referee comes to the wrong decision.”
On Rangers’ second penalty, McFadden mentioned: “This is a penalty. I know you use your arm to jump. But that is too high for me from Mikey Devlin. He leaves his arm up there.”
Celtic 6-0 Aberdeen
INCIDENT: Aberdeen’s Slobodan Rubezic is booked after a heavy problem on Celtic striker Kyogo Furuhashi.
DERMOT’S VERDICT: No crimson card
DERMOT SAYS: “I don’t think it’s a red card at all. It was an unfortunate clash of heads, it looks bad, but I don’t think it’s a red card. It forces Kyogo off, unfortunately.”
Motherwell 1-2 Hearts
INCIDENT: Hearts denied a penalty after Motherwell’s Dan Casey struck Liam Boyce within the chest together with his studs.
DERMOT’S VERDICT: Penalty ought to have been given
DERMOT SAYS: “I was astonished a penalty wasn’t given. I was even more astonished the referee went to the screen, saw it a number of times, and stuck with his original decision. A brave referee sticks to his choice if he thinks it’s right, but for me, that’s a penalty.”
Hibs 1-0 Kilmarnock
INCIDENT: Hibs striker Martin Boyle denied a penalty being introduced down by Joe Wright.
DERMOT’S VERDICT: Fallacious resolution
DERMOT SAYS: “I think it’s a penalty. The forward was going through, l think it’s a foul.”
DANNY MILLS: “I’m not convinced. The defender doesn’t change position.”
SUE SMITH: “Why would the striker go down if there wasn’t any contact?”
Scottish Premiership and SWPL on Sky Sports activities
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