Michael Stewart raises serious question about Nick Walsh’s role in Celtic Rangers penalty incident

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Celtic will now focus on upcoming fixtures following a powderkeg Glasgow Derby clash at Ibrox that ended all square.

The Bhoys took the lead after just 21 seconds due to Daizen Maeda’s excellent work to pressurise James Tavernier, followed by a Matt O’Riley penalty ten minutes before the interval to cement a solid lead in Govan.

Controversy came to the fore early in the second half amid Alistair Johnston’s penalisation for a foul in the area on Fabio Silva despite the latter initially being booked for diving by John Beaton.

Eventually, the 42-year-old made his way to review VAR footage before awarding the hosts a spot-kick, leaving Tavernier in pole position to convert. Celtic have since condemned this decision, contesting whether Beaton wasn’t shown the full picture from the clip available on the monitor.

Post-match, Brendan Rodgers accused the Portugal Under-21 international of simulation; meanwhile, there are further concerns from the reigning champions that Johnston’s challenge didn’t meet the threshold to be overturned. IFAB regulations state that a decision can be reversed should a tackle have ‘careless, reckless or has excessive force’ present.

A club spokesperson elaborated, stating: “The club has been in correspondence with the Scottish FA regarding the VAR process throughout the season and has also played an active part in the SPFL working group, which is seeking to work with the Scottish FA to improve standards for all clubs.

“We have raised our further concerns regarding the VAR process in the match with the Scottish FA and await a response.”

Michael Stewart raises questions Celtic vs Rangers penalty call

Pundit Michael Stewart isn’t one to shirk away from offering his opinion on controversies in Scottish football. He has questioned VAR operative Nick Walsh’s involvement in awarding Rangers their penalty after a period of deliberation from the officials.

The 43-year-old has queried whether Walsh spotted Johnston’s initial touch on the ball before his collision with Silva, as seen below.

Celtic’s decision to contact the Scottish FA for an explanation may make for an interesting few days amid another storm involving VAR’s usage in the Scottish Premiership.

Frustratingly, there is nothing we can do about the end result; however, Rodgers’ men are still in the thick of the title race heading into this weekend’s clash against St Mirren.