Dermot Gallagher has addressed claims from Celtic supporters who feel Rangers should have been reduced to ten men during their Old Firm derby victory.
Rangers ran out 3-1 winners over Celtic at Parkhead on Saturday, with a brace from Youssef Chermiti and a strike from Mikey Moore sealing all three points for Danny Rohl’s side.
Wilfried Nancy has since been dismissed by the Hoops following the defeat, bringing an end to the Frenchman’s spell after just eight matches in charge.
The Gers now sit level on points with their Glasgow rivals in the Scottish Premiership, while remaining six points behind leaders Hearts.
Emmanuel Fernandez avoids red card vs Celtic:
Just three minutes into the third Old Firm clash of the campaign, Emmanuel Fernandez made contact with Arne Engels’ face with a loose arm.
The Celtic midfielder was applying pressure from behind before being struck by the defender’s elbow and going to ground.
Referee Steven McLean opted against showing a card, and VAR ruled that the incident did not meet the threshold for a sending off, allowing Fernandez to escape punishment.
Some Celtic fans argued that the 24-year-old should have been shown a red card, but former Premier League official Gallagher believes a caution would have sufficed.
Speaking on Sky Sports Ref Watch, he said: “I thought yellow card. I don’t think he swings an elbow, he’s almost pushing him off isn’t he? It’s not as if he’s fired it off as a weapon.
“I do think the referee handled this game really, really well.”
Celtic fans have nothing left to blame:
There appeared to be no malicious intent behind Fernandez’s perceived ‘elbow’, which should remove any lingering controversy from the Old Firm encounter.
Rangers were fully deserving of their win after an outstanding second-half display, as Chermiti and Moore turned the contest decisively in their favour.
Celtic cannot point the finger at the officials for such a below-par performance, and the Parkhead hierarchy have already acted by parting ways with Nancy.
Gers fans will be hoping their city rivals’ struggles continue even after the managerial change.