Philippe Clement has rejected accusations labeling Rangers forward Fabio Silva as a diver and appeared to take a subtle dig at Celtic legend and Sky Sports co-commentator Chris Sutton by suggesting that Scottish football pundits may be biased in their judgments.

During the recent Old Firm clash at Ibrox, Sutton criticized Silva for winning a penalty in the second half, following a foul by Alistair Johnston. The Portuguese forward, on loan from Wolves for £30m, faced backlash from fans of both Glasgow clubs due to his exaggerated reactions to challenges in the 3-3 draw.

Clement disclosed that he had spoken to Silva about his behavior after the derby but staunchly defended his player. He insinuated that the criticism directed at Silva could be influenced by personal loyalties rather than objective analysis.

The coach also revealed that Silva suffered stud marks on his legs from the physicality of Rodgers’ team during the Premiership match. While acknowledging some areas of concern, Clement emphasized Silva’s overall growth and learning from the experience, particularly as it was his debut Old Firm match.

Clement emphasized the need for perspective and cautioned against creating a negative narrative around Silva based on one game. He acknowledged Silva’s young age and emotional response but expressed confidence in the player’s ability to improve and learn from past mistakes.

Their discussions centered on specific incidents, aiming to ensure that Silva can handle similar situations better in the future. As Silva continues to evolve both as a player and an individual, these experiences serve as valuable lessons for his development.

Clement reiterated his strong conviction that Rangers should have been granted a penalty for the challenge on Silva by Johnston and emphasized his discontent with some of the decisions made by referee John Beaton and VAR official Nick Walsh.

He insisted, “It’s clearly a penalty. Only someone wearing colored glasses would argue otherwise. Neutral observers, or even those with ‘colored glasses,’ see it as a clear penalty.”

Clement referenced the opinions of referee analyst Dermot Gallagher from Sky Sports who, despite possibly being perceived as leaning towards Celtic, affirmed that it was indeed a penalty. He expressed disappointment over instances where goals were reviewed extensively and raised the issue of a defender initially touching the ball possibly constituting a new phase of play.

Addressing the incident where Silva was booked for diving before the decision was overturned to award a penalty, Clement acknowledged the player’s inclination to go to ground easily but saw the incident as a learning opportunity for him to mature as a player.

As for diving accusations against his players, Clement found it challenging to accept criticism from pundits who overlook similar behaviors in players from other Premiership clubs. He highlighted the need for consistency in scrutinizing all players for such offenses.

While Celtic sought clarification from the SFA regarding the penalty decision, Clement maintained his view that Beaton and Walsh managed the Old Firm game competently.

“I have no comments regarding Celtic’s intentions,” he remarked. “It is entirely up to them to decide their course of action. Our focus should be on our own performance, rather than concerning ourselves with the actions or thoughts of other teams. While there are aspects we can reflect on and discuss, I must say that I found the referee and VAR to be effective in the recent game.

I believe that refereeing requires teamwork now. Have any of you ever officiated a match? I’m not kidding. Being in that position daily, I have a better understanding of the speed and precision required to make split-second decisions from the right vantage point. We are fortunate to have access to numerous cameras, angles, and replays post-game.

It is an incredibly challenging task for officials to get every decision right, considering the pace of play. They may have fortunate days, but VAR serves as a helpful aid in ensuring accuracy. Refereeing has become more of a collaborative effort. The presence of VAR is progressively diminishing uncertainties, making decisions more definitive.”