Kasper Schmeichel showed a side of his personality the Celtic goalkeeper has rarely brought out in his side’s win over Kilmarnock yesterday.
The Danish goalkeeper was livid with Killie midfielder Liam Donnelly as the game clock ticked on when the Northern Irishman pressed him inside his own box late on.
As Schmeichel looked to make a clearance towards Alistair Johnston on the right-flank with Celts leading 2-0, Donnelly came steaming in with a late challenge which, at first glance, appeared to miss the stopper.
But on a replay of the incident played by Sky Sports, Donnelly’s forearm was clearly raised towards the 38-year-old who went down only to avoid being clattered.
Schmeichel made his feelings known towards his opponent as the pair went head to head before Auston Trusty arrived to back his teammate as referee Nick Walsh opted to brandish a yellow card.
When discussing the action – and incidents – on Sky’s Ref Watch with retired whistler Dermot Gallagher, the official suggested that Walsh had got the call spot on.
However former Liverpool and Blackburn Rovers defender Stephen Warnock – as well as ex-England international Sue Smith – were both adamant Donnelly showed intent with his forearm.
Stephen Warnock felt Liam Donnelly should have been sent off vs Celtic
The pair believe it was ‘naughty’ and insisted goalie Schmeichel could potentially have been knocked out cold with a broken jaw had he collided with the midfielder.
“I think he should go for that,” Warnock said. “Yeah, it’s naughty,” Smith added.
“That’s intense. Oh, that’s intense to smash him across the face. That’s why Kasper Schmeichel’s so angry. Because he knows, if you watch his arm, you talk about that clenched fist, and he pushes that across. I think that’s really naughty. He knows exactly what he’s trying to do there.”
“Even though where he catches him?” Gallagher asked, to which Warnock confirmed: “Doesn’t matter. Yeah, it’s just because he’s smaller.
“If he’s any taller, he’s catching Kasper Schmeichel right across the face there. He knocks him out. He’ll knock him out if he catches him across his face. It probably breaks his jaw, the speed he’s moving. That’s really naughty. He knows exactly what he’s doing.”
Smith added: “It’s fortunate, isn’t it, that Kasper Schmeichel actually sees it coming, and he sort of moves away from it. Because, yeah, if that catches him, that’s a bad challenge.”
What Dermot Gallagher thought of Donnelly’s forearm challenge on Schmeichel
Retired ref Gallagher had not been convinced during the replays and said earlier in the analysis: “I have to say, Rob, I thought the referee dealt really well with this, because when I saw it, I was watching the game live. I thought he could go for it.
“I actually thought his arm was higher up.
“When you see it from behind the goal, he knows what he’s doing. He actually catches him across the chest. And does he throw an elbow?
“No, it’s more a forearm. But I think yellow card, I think the referee dealt with it really well.”
Gallagher also felt Reo Hatate was right to avoid a red card at Killie.
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