{{primary_category}}
{{/primary_category}} 
Michael Stewart fumes on BBC Sportscene at 'ludicrous' penalty decision from Rangers v Aberdeen
Michael Stewart was absolutely fuming on BBC Sportscene after Rangers were awarded a penalty for handball in their 4-1 win over Aberdeen on Saturday.
The Gers claimed victory after falling behind early thanks to goals from Antonio Colak, John Lundstram, James Tavernier and Alfredo Morelos, while Tavernier also missed a penalty.
But after seeing the footage of the incident while serving as a pundit on BBC Sportscene [29 October], Stewart was absolutely furious and labelled the decision as “ludicrous,” saying it was “never a handball”.
“I just think handball’s ludicrous to be perfectly honest,” he said.
“That to me is never a handball. It deflects up off of Richardson…are the officials trying to tell us that he has deliberately handballed that?
“That would be one of the most ludicrous things on planet earth.
Subscribe to Football Insider TV now
“There’s nobody round him, it bounces off his leg.
“‘I’ll tell you what I’ll do, I’ll just punch the ball away.’
“It’s an accidental handball, his arm has moved after it’s deflected off his leg.
“It’s not deliberate, it’s not a penalty.”
Behave
This might be the most stonewall penalty incident of the weekend in any game across the United Kingdom, nevermind in the Scottish Premiership.
Obviously Richardson didn’t intentionally handle the ball, but that isn’t the rule and Michael Stewart needs to update his understanding more.
His arm is up above his head in an unnatural position and he deflects the ball off it’s natural path because of his bad touch. That is a penalty.
Had the ball been hit at him and deflected off him in that manor then it wouldn’t have been given, but it was just a bad touch and his arm was up in the air so of course it was a penalty that VAR was going to give.
On this instance it didn’t matter because Tavernier missed, but should it happen again in the future hopefully Stewart will have a better grasp or understanding of the rules before commenting.
In other Rangers news, season flop must be sold in January after another shocking performance v Aberdeen