Former Premier League Referee Dermot Gallagher Weighs in on Key Decisions Involving Rangers and Celtic
The Scottish Premiership witnessed a thrilling weekend of action, with Rangers and Celtic both in contention. Philippe Clement’s Rangers moved into second spot, closing the gap on Brendan Rodgers’ Celtic, who remain nine points clear at the top. Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher analyzed three crucial decisions involving the two Glasgow giants.
Gallagher first examined Vaclav Cerny’s winning goal for Rangers against Dundee. He praised the officials for their judgment, saying, “You could say ‘Why didn’t he flag earlier’? but looking at this, we can understand why they don’t flag early. If he flags early, the move is terminated. It’s a good spot.”
Gallagher also reviewed Ianis Hagi’s disallowed goal for Rangers, which was correctly flagged for offside. He commended the match officials for catching the infringement in live play, stating, “Yeah, that was given on-field as well and confirmed by the VAR. It was offside.”
Meanwhile, Celtic supporters appealed for a handball in their draw with Dundee United, but Gallagher quickly dismissed the claim. He explained, “I don’t think he has any chance whatsoever. His hands are down by his side, and he can’t do anything about it. The wind was horrific, and the ball was bouncing everywhere. You can understand that bouncing up and the player being struck, but that was all it was.”
As the Scottish Premiership continues to unfold, these key decisions will undoubtedly have a significant impact on the title race. With Rangers and Celtic set to clash on January 2, the stakes are higher than ever.