Ref Watch: Should Rangers have been awarded a penalty against Aberdeen?
Should Rangers have been awarded a penalty against Aberdeen? Was Celtic's penalty against Livingston the right call? Should St Johnstone's James Brown have been sent off? Was Tony Watt's red card against Motherwell harsh?
Monday 31 October 2022 16:08, UK
Dermot Gallagher dissects the refereeing flashpoints from the weekend's games in the Scottish Premiership.
Rangers 4-1 Aberdeen
INCIDENT: Aberdeen conceded a penalty against Rangers for a handball against Jayden Richardson.
VERDICT: Penalty was right decision.
DERMOT SAYS: The guy puts his hand out and he moves his hand towards the ball. It's almost like he doesn't expect the ball to bounce up. His arm moved to the ball. The VAR has instructed that he's moved towards the ball.
INCIDENT: Alfredo Morelos' first goal was disallowed for offside.
VERDICT: Right call.
DERMOT SAYS: It's very, very tight but he is offside.
INCIDENT: Morelos' second goal was also checked by VAR but stood.
VERDICT: Goal.
DERMOT SAYS: Interesting because I think Morelos himself thinks he's offside. He isn't he's actually behind the ball, he's onside.
Livingston 0-3 Celtic
INCIDENT: A VAR check saw Celtic awarded a penalty for a handball against Livingston's Andrew Shinnie.
VERDICT: Penalty right decision.
DERMOT SAYS: It's one we see in the Premier League regularly. The ball strikes the hand, no doubt about that. The referee can't see it because the body is obscured. He gives a goal kick, I can understand why he doesn't give it. He gets sent to VAR. It's above the shoulder. Anything up there, they've been consistent in the Premier League and Scottish Premiership. They've been given.
Hibs 3-0 St Mirren
INCIDENT: VAR was called into action to check Hibs penalty claim for a handball against Richard Tait.
VERDICT: Penalty was right decision.
DERMOT SAYS: Very difficult for this ever to be seen and given by the referee. We saw a similar one with West Ham vs Bournemouth on Monday night. Any arm going out like that is going to be penalised.
Dundee United 0-1 Motherwell
INCIDENT: Dundee United striker Tony Watt sent off after a high challenge on Sean Goss after referee John Beaton was asked to review the decision by VAR officials.
VERDICT: Red card.
DERMOT SAYS: When you see the VAR shot, you might change your mind. When you see the shape of his body and where he is. For me, if you're turning your body away you aren't going for the ball. He turns away and leaves his leg in, which is what you don't ask a defender to do.
St Johnstone 1-0 Kilmarnock
INCIDENT: James Brown's red card for St Johnstone was changed to yellow after VAR recommended the referee to check the monitor.
VERDICT: Yellow card.
DERMOT SAYS: It's a big call. When a referee has sent someone off for VAR to intervene. In fairness to the referee, he's been asked to watch it again and he probably thinks he hasn't quite caught him. He probably thinks it's low, he hasn't come far. The referee on-field ultimately makes the decision.
INCIDENT: A late Kilmarnock equaliser was disallowed for a foul in build up.
VERDICT: No goal.
DERMOT SAYS: It's a foul on the goalkeeper. The referee gives a foul at the front post but it's also a foul on the goalkeeper. The referee blows early and VAR backs the referee.
