Keith Hackett has called for the handball rule to be reformed following the late penalty that allowed Celtic to snatch a point at Ibrox.
Celtic recovered from two goals down to draw 2-2, with the equaliser coming from the penalty spot after Dujon Sterling inadvertently deflected a goal-bound header onto his arm. Reo Hatate converted from the rebound after Jack Butland had initially kept out the spot kick, and while Sterling had no awareness of the ball striking his arm, referee John Beaton had little choice but to award the penalty once VAR directed him to the monitor.
The incident followed a series of controversial handball decisions in the Premier League over the same weekend, prompting Alan Shearer to argue that the rule should be restricted to deliberate actions only. Hackett, speaking exclusively to Ibrox News, backed that view entirely.
He explained that under the current law, the match officials had no alternative but to award a penalty in that situation. He also clarified why Sterling escaped a red card, noting that a dismissal for denial of an obvious goalscoring opportunity does not apply when the goalkeeper has a high probability of stopping the ball regardless. Hackett was clear that the handball law continues to generate unnecessary controversy and said he supports any move to place greater emphasis on the word deliberate before reaching for the whistle.
Beyond the penalty debate, the result has highlighted a recurring problem for Danny Rohl. Rangers were commanding in the first half but faded badly after the break, a pattern that has emerged on several occasions this season. Celtic’s half-time changes transformed the contest entirely, leaving Rangers unable to impose themselves in the second period. The Ibrox side have now won just one of their last four Premiership matches, and with Hearts sitting six points clear at the top, finding a solution to that second-half drop-off has become one of Rohl’s most pressing concerns.