Rangers striker Alfredo Morelos' reputation went before him with third red card, says Gary McAllister
Thursday 7 November 2019 12:21, UK
Rangers assistant manager Gary McAllister has defended striker Alfredo Morelos and claimed the player’s "reputation went ahead of him" after he was sent off in the 4-2 win over Aberdeen in midweek.
Morelos was red carded following a studs-up challenge on Dons defender Scott McKenna, the third time the Colombian has been dismissed against the same opposition this season, and his fourth in total.
Rangers have lodged an appeal against Morelos' latest red card and will discover if they are successful by 6pm on Friday, and McAllister has stood by the club's top goalscorer.
"It was a strong confrontation the whole night, two competitive players, two guys wanting to win the game badly," McAllister said ahead of Saturday's Scottish Cup fifth-round tie with Kilmarnock.
"I felt Alfredo's reputation went ahead of him on this one, and I think he was trying to get out the way. I think there was a conscious effort not to make a stamp.
"Alfredo has had moments prior to us coming here, he's a very competitive player, he gets involved in lots of skirmishes.
"That's the nature of his game, I don't think you can take away his tenacity, which I think we all agree is a big part of his game.
"From a discipline point of view, he's got to improve. We are trying to help him. But in this instance, Alfredo has got previous and I think that possibly went against him.
"His legs are up but they have got to come down somewhere."
McAllister also defended Allan McGregor as the SFA compliance officer studies footage of an incident involving the Rangers goalkeeper.
McGregor caught Aberdeen midfielder Lewis Ferguson with his outstretched boot in the shin as he raced off his line to smother a through ball.
"I just see Allan McGregor getting into position to make the save and then he tucks himself up into a ball to prevent himself being hurt," added McAllister.
When asked if Rangers would appeal any notice of complaint from the SFA, McAllister said: "That's a decision which is probably above me but I would be leaning towards that, because we see Allan going and collecting and making himself small and compact."
Although he did not want to be drawn into the public dispute between Rangers manager Steven Gerrard and his Kilmarnock counterpart Steve Clarke over an alleged dive by Jermain Defoe, McAllister did admit they are all looking for consistency from match officials.
"I don't want to get stuck in the middle of the two Stevens but I agree that the word 'consistency' is key," said McAllister.
"We are all searching for that but I can only be concerned with what happens here."
