Ex-Celtic star Chris Sutton has been starting a referee campaign once again ahead of Rangers hosting their Old Firm rivals after the international break.
The quarrelsome pundit has often overstepped the mark in the past with his coverage of referees and Rangers as he perpetuates fundamentally misleading stereotypes and conspiracies regarding the country’s whistlers.
Taking to Twitter, Chris Sutton passed judgment on a penalty awarded Rangers during the club’s 2-1 win against Dundee after Alfredo Morelos had his jersey pulled in the box.
“It’s the award of penalties like the one today why people question whether most top flight Scottish referees are up to the required level,” tweeted Sutton.
This the same week that Ross County got a player sent off against Celtic for winning the ball.
James Tavernier might’ve skied the resultant spot-kick, but Chris Sutton is playing on this nonsense masonic conspiracy that adds extra minutes on for Celtic to score in and which has failed to flag numerous offside Celtic strikes this season.
Chris Sutton has brass neck to launch referee campaign
Whilst the poor standard of refereeing in Scotland is without doubt, Rangers have gone about challenging in the right way with calls for VAR.
The technology now looks increasingly likely to be introduced before long and it should help referees get more influential decisions correct.
But the notion that this is some kind of referee conspiracy – as Chris Sutton once claimed after Celtic were defeated by Rangers during Steven Gerrard’s reign in 2019 – is irresponsible and dangerous.
Not to mention stark raving mad.
The entire thing heaps pressure on the referee ahead of the Old Firm clash – with the whistler yet to be announced – in what promises to be a tense affair.
Rangers can go level on points with their Old Firm rivals with a victory in the Ibrox clash to set up a tense final run-in in the Scottish Premiership campaign.
Expect comments like these from Sutton to be the start of this refereeing baiting coverage when the focus should be on who deserves to win between Rangers and their rivals.
Here are three key talking points that emerged from Rangers’ late win over Dundee.
