Celtic avoid two undebatable red cards in new double Rangers controversy – Gary Keown
Gary Keown says there is “no doubt” over Paulo Bernardo’s red card controversy while Rangers could have faced a nine-man Celtic on Saturday.
Already on a yellow card due to his celebrations after the opening goal, the Portuguese midfielder escaped a second booking for a lunging challenge on Connor Goldson with many having no idea how referee Nick Walsh did not send him for an early shower.
Alistair Johnston could have also seen red as he ended Abdallah Sima’s afternoon with an elbow to the face. However, it remains to be seen as to whether it was intentional or not.
“Celtic goalscorer Paulo Bernardo should have been sent off on 64 minutes – long before the visitors correctly went down to 10 men with Leon Balogun’s expulsion – for a foul on Connor Goldson,” Keown wrote for The Mail on Sunday (31 December, page 90).
“No debate about it. He was already on a yellow thanks to his celebrations after opening the scoring. His tackle on Goldson was clearly a second booking.”
Referee takes the spotlight
There were many contentious decisions at Celtic Park as Rangers lost 2-1 to the current Scottish Premiership leaders.
But Walsh’s decision not to award Bernardo a red card was amongst the most frustrating, with Brendan Rodgers clearly noticing his player walking a tightrope and hooking him with 20 minutes left to play.
Johnston’s challenge seemed far more innocuous but the referee was never going to send him off after bottling the Bernardo situation. The decisions could have very much changed the outcome, even despite Rangers’ poor performance in general.
Walsh was correct to send off Balogun after dragging Daizen Maeda to the floor as the last man. It was just a shame that he could not make the same decisions for the home side, who could have ended the match with nine men.
With eight minutes added on, and James Tavernier pegging Celtic back on 88 minutes, Rangers could very much have claimed a point from Celtic Park or even gone on to win the game.
The decisions have made the difference between an eight-point gap between the two sides and a two-point gap if Rangers were to win their second Old Firm derby in the last three meetings.
In other Rangers news, Leeds defender Charlie Cresswell is ready to quit at Elland Road amid links with a move to Ibrox