Rangers: Michael Stewart slammed over Dujon Sterling complaints in win at Hibernian
Michael Stewart’s complaints about Rangers winning a penalty at Hibs were given an emphatic dismissal by Graham Smyth.
The Yorkshire Evening Post journalist branded the Viaplay pundit’s comments nonsense, in so many words, via Twitter on 10 March after he had taken issue with Steven McLean awarding a first-half spot kick at Easter Road, which was saved but turned in by John Lundstram on the rebound.
Stewart claimed Sterling had felt contact from Jordan Obita and gone to ground, returning to the incident repeatedly after the goal had been scored, despite the Hibs defender appearing to clearly get his legs tangled with the Gers man.
The Athletic’s Jordan Campbell had posted during the game: “That was a penalty. Not sure what Stewart is arguing. It’s up to the defender to make sure he doesn’t bundle a player over, even if they slow down to protect the ball and draw a foul.”
In response Smyth agreed and wrote: “He’s talking absolute [expletive].”
Michael Stewart unhappy as wounded Rangers battle through at Easter Road
There is frequently an element of interpretation with officiating decisions but the clumsy way Sterling was brought down in the 2-0 win looked pretty clear cut.
Why Stewart repeatedly compared it to a nothing incident where there was no contact out of the flank shortly before made little sense.
He was increasingly outraged throughout the game as McLean later sent off Obita for a second yellow card after the break, and quickly followed up with a straight red for Nathan Moriah-Welsh.
Both could arguably have gotten away without being dismissed but neither decision came as a complete shock, with the former having been warned to calm down moments before after pushing a Rangers physio and the injured Ross McCausland off the pitch, and the latter lunging with both feet off the ground at Lundstram even though contact was light.
But Stewart’s protests against the latter decisions might have carried more weight if he hadn’t spent so long caught up on a fairly clear penalty in the first half, with the likes of Neil Lennon unbothered by the award on the half-time analysis.
For Philippe Clement and Rangers it was job done again, but at the cost of yet more injury concerns with McCausland and Sterling going off and Ryan Jack ruled out before kick-off.
In other Rangers news, Stewart also clashed with Bobby Madden live on BBC Sportsound over further Light Blues controversy.
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