Daniel Lewis

Mon 1 January 2024 18:10, UK

Dermot Gallagher says Alastair Johnston could easily have been sent off during the Old Firm clash between Celtic and Rangers.

Johnston was already on a booking in Saturday’s (30 December) contest when he caught Abdallah Sima in the face with a flailing arm.

However, referee Nick Walsh decided against reaching into his pocket and the Celtic defender remained on the field.

Speaking on Sky Sports News [1 January, 10:30am], ex-FIFA official Gallagher said: “I think this is much more risky when you’ve got flailing arms.

“The referee, if he sees this, has got a decision to make. It’s one of them you see sometimes a player gets booked, sometimes they don’t.

“It’s not the wisest challenge to make. He will argue he’s used his arms as leverage to get up.

“But if the referee decides he hasn’t, he’s already on a yellow card and he could easily see another.”

Contentious calls

This was yet another frustrating moment on a day to forget for the Gers as they fell to a 2-1 loss at Parkhead.

Johnston made contact with Sima and, whether he meant it or not, it should have resulted in a second booking and a sending off.

The Celtic defender was involved in the biggest talking point of the game as he handled the ball in the box late in the first half.

Not only was a penalty not awarded, the officials then seemed to use an offside infringement in the build-up as an excuse.

Losing an Old Firm game is fair enough, even if it hurts, but it is a lot harder to take when a number of big calls do not go in Rangers’ favour.

Thankfully, there is a home clash with Kilmarnock on Tuesday (2 January) to put this defeat behind us.

In other Rangers news, Chris Jack has suggested a first-team regular may have two games to save his Ibrox career.