Mike Slater

Mon 7 March 2022 13:00, UK

We’re delighted to welcome former Premier League referee Keith Hackett as our exclusive Rangers columnist. Each week he’ll be giving his views on the biggest talking points at Ibrox…

Keith Hackett has insisted that Rangers midfielder Scott Arfield should have been sent off in the 1-0 win against Aberdeen.

The ex-FIFA official admitted that the Canadian should be facing the three-match ban after he stamped on the back of his opponents’ Achilles.

Instead, Arfield escaped with a booking in the clip shared later by BBC Sportscene on Saturday evening (5 March, 17:20).

“He’s stamped on him,” he exclusively told Ibrox News.

“Phwoar, he’s a lucky boy. I think that’s a bit more than a yellow card, the whole aspect of challenges, it doesn’t matter whether it’s behind or not.

“For me, that endangers the players, the Achilles, in particular, is a vulnerable area, that’s a red card.”

Lucky.

Arfield certainly got away with one here, but it is deserved given the state of officiating in Scotland in recent weeks.

Draws against Motherwell and Dundee United were both marred by clear red card offences for our opposition that were missed.

Now, it is the time of the Bears to get away with one, with VAR something that would clearly be in overdrive if brought into the Scottish Premiership.

Ryan Jack also missed out on what looked like a clear red in recent weeks, with decisions such as these ones appearing to be missed in every single matchday.

Arfield will certainly be counting his lucky starts right about now.

In other Rangers news, this BBC pundit was left ‘screaming’ after major transfer development at Ibrox