The referee so often influences Old Firm matches, Steven McLean had a stinker, but Rangers were able to see out a convincing win over their city rivals.
There were no big calls to make, we know this because the mainstream media has been talking about Celtic having players missing – three or four from their starting XI, with two of them on the bench.
No mention of the nine first teamers and seven internationals that Rangers had unavailable though.
It was a game littered with bizarre calls by McLean and his team, advantage seemed to only go in one direction whilst certain players only needed to look at the ref to be awarded a free-kick – none of them playing in blue.
What was the controversial moment in Rangers Old Firm win?
One incident did raise a few eyebrows though which Rangers legend Ally McCoist also picked up:
“Clearly, somebody on the sidelines shouted in his ear and he changed the decision immediately.
“Not a major decision – I’m not talking a goalmouth incident, ball over the line or a penalty incident. I’m talking about a general tackle in play and he changed the decision.
“Now, some people will argue – and he did eventually get the decision right – that’s good, I don’t think it is.
“I think there has to be a refreshing honesty about people making mistakes whether it’s players, coaches, referees that has now been taken away.”
McCoist is right – the incident in question was an innocuous hand ball by Todd Cantwell in the middle of the park.
McLean was blindsided and the assistant referees were too far away.
After a delay of several seconds, McLean then blew for a free-kick, as directed by the fourth official – Don Robertson.
Sky Sports picking up the conversation between the two.
It was the correct decision, 100%, but Robertson clearly overstepped his role.
Only in a “significant match changing incident” should the fourth official interfere with an on-field decision.
Examples being red card offences, yellow card offences that might lead to a red card or penalty area incidents.
Why Robertson didn’t make the same intervention when Fashion Sakala out-muscled Carl Starfelt and the Swede handled the ball on the edge of the box to stop the Rangers striker closing in on Joe Hart is anyone’s guess.
