Michael Stewart shakes head in disbelief at what’s been said about Rangers incident – ‘It’s mental’
Michael Stewart remains completely baffled as to why a penalty was not awarded against Mohamed Diomande in Rangers’ win against Kilmarnock.
Rangers were 3-0 winners against Kilmarnock at Rugby Park on Saturday evening as Danny Rohl’s unbeaten league start continues.
Bojan Miovski scored twice and Mikey Moore was also on the scoresheet, while Jack Butland was superb in keeping a clean sheet.
The contest had a number of contentious moments, not least when Diomande dragged back on David Watson and was fortunate not to be penalised.
Michael Stewart still baffled at Rangers penalty decision
Rangers’ focus may have switched to Ferencvaros in the Europa League, but events from last weekend are still very much front and centre of the news agenda.
Referee Kevin Clancy and his VAR team decided against awarding a spot-kick for Diomande’s shirt pull on Watson.
It is believed that due to the ball not coming into the box from out wide, the officials decided against awarding Kilmarnock a pen.
However, when that reasoning was put to Stewart, the Premier Sports pundit was simply not having it.
An increasingly irate Stewart visibly shook his head and said: “It’s mental. It doesn’t matter [about the ball not coming into the box].
“At what point does the foul constitute not believing he gets on the end of it? If he kicks him? If he pushes him? Punches him?
“The fact is, he’s fouled him in the box and it’s a penalty. End of story. It’s a shocker from VAR, yet again.”
Diomande was labelled “lazy” for the shirt pull on Watson, although ultimately it did not matter as he got away with it.
Who will replace Mohamed Diomande vs Ferencvaros?
Diomande was sent off in Rangers‘ meeting with Braga last time out in the Europa League and will therefore not be part of Rohl’s plans on Thursday evening.
Thelo Aasgaard could get the nod to start in the middle, with Djeidi Gassama and Moore either side and Miovski up top.
That would see Connor Barron and Nico Raskin take up the holding midfield positions in what many are seeing as a dead-rubber in Hungary.
Rangers’ results on the continent this season have been woeful, but hopefully they can at least give the travelling fans something to cheer about.
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