Dan Carter

Sat 30 December 2023 15:03, UK

Neil Lennon has admitted he would have been “apoplectic” had he been denied the penalty that Rangers were during the first half of their clash with Celtic.

The Light Blues fell to their first defeat under the management of Philippe Clement at Celtic Park on Saturday (30 December) as the Hoops once again claimed all three points with a 2-1 win despite a phenomenal late free kick from James Tavernier.

However, Rangers felt they deserved a penalty late in the first half after Alistair Johnston appeared to handle the ball in the box, but the referee and VAR ignored their appeals, with an earlier offside being the reason.

Speaking on Sky Sports Main Event (30 December, 13:27) he said: “If I was the manager and that didn’t go for me I would be apoplectic. It’s just such a clear one, especially when you see it from behind the goal.

“I know that was not his intention, but he actually stops Sima from getting across him and it is accidental, but it’s clear and obvious.”

Need some luck

While opposition fans always like to claim Rangers get special treatment from officials, particularly in the penalty area, that suggestion was proven incredibly wrong during Saturday’s Old Firm clash.

While Johnston had no intent to handle the ball, his indirect punch clearly took the ball away from Sima in the area and denied the Senegalese international the chance to level things up late in the opening period.

Rangers were nowhere near good enough at Celtic Park and wasted several excellent chances to level things up, but they were not helped by some terrible officiating that really put them on the back foot in crucial moments of the Old Firm tie.

Having missed the chance to close the gap at the top of the table, the Gers need to quickly bounce back before the winter break. Saturday’s defeat may be a blow to their title hopes, but it hasn’t put an end to them just yet.

In other Rangers news, the Gers are reportedly on “red alert” for another new January signing Kai Wagner