Rangers kept the gap with Celtic and Aberdeen at the Premiership summit at five points with a win over St Johnstone – but it was a game packed with controversy.
Vaclav Cerny bounced back from a nightmare week to net a double and down the visitors to Ibrox – but there was a sour note for the Light Blues as returning playmaker Ianis Hagi sent off 10 minutes from the end leaving Philippe Clement’s side to see out the game with 10 men after VAR’s intervention. The Romania international left the pitch in tears and was consoled by the Belgian boss as he trudged off the pitch – but the heavy challenge on Benjamin Kimpioka was far from the only talking point.
Referee David Dickinson had a busy evening in the late kick-off in Govan to round off the packed weekend of action. But did he get the big calls right under the Ibrox lights? Record Sport takes a look.
Cyriel Dessers ‘pull’ in the box
As a cross comes into the box towards the head of Cyriel Dessers, Aaron Essel can be seen pulling on the jersey of the Rangers frontman as he attempts to head the ball. He then falls to the ground – but neither whistler Dickinson or the VAR team would intervene.
Hutton: “You look at it back, you see Essel is holding his top. It’s not just a little pull, it’s a full on grab. I think he is a very lucky boy. You look at the referee and he actually has a good view of it so I’m surprised action wasn’t taken. That is a huge risk. He has already been booked, to then grab him, I think he is very lucky.”
Ianis Hagi red card
Ianis Hagi made his long-awaited return to the Rangers first team – but lasted just 35 minutes after coming off the bench before he was sent-off for a crude challenge on Benjamin Kimpioka. The lunge initially earned a booking for the Romanian playmaker from David Dickinson, but he was sent to the pitchside monitor with the decision upgraded to a straight red card with 10 minutes remaining on the clock.
Speaking on Sportscene, former Rangers goalkeeper Cammy Bell said: “I think it’s clumsy more than anything. I think he is over-stretching, trying to play the ball and going in at pace. But, it’s an absolute red card for me. You can see the force and where he catches the St Johnstone player.”
Hutton: “That’s a sore one. It could genuinely be a leg-breaker. I know he has not meant it, I know he has not got that within him but you have to remember he has been out for a long period of time. He will probably think he can get there and he is just a little bit off it.”
Adama Sidibeh ‘red’ card
The St Johnstone man was just returning from a four game suspension when he lunged at John Souttar. Some online felt he should have been given his marching orders like Hagi – but the man in the middle kept his cards in his pockets while VAR refused to intervene.
Michael Stewart on commentary for Premier Sports felt a yellow was the right call: “I don’t know what he is trying to do. That is a yellow card every day of the week. It’s astonishing. He can’t get the ball, even if he does get the ball, he is always going to go right through the Rangers player.”
Nicky Clark ‘offside’ goal
With Rangers down to 10-men, Nicky Clark thought he had handed the visitors a late lifeline. The St Johnstone striker beat Jack Butland latched on to a long ball forward by Matt Smith – but was judged to have narrowly gone before Rangers’ last man Robin Propper.
The striker was initially flagged offside before VAR backed up the on-field team. Former Celtic and Aberdeen star Niall McGinn conceded on Sportscene: “It’s a great finish but as you can see, it was offside.”
Bell added: “It is very, very tight. In these moments you need to score when you get these opportunities at Ibrox. That was a really tight call, but it looks like Nicky Clark was just offside.”