Gary Keown has taken a playful jab at Brendan Rodgers for his contradictory remarks regarding referee John Beaton in anticipation of the highly anticipated Old Firm derby between Rangers and Celtic on Sunday (7 April).

Rodgers had previously lauded Beaton as “one of the top referees in the country” but later criticized him vehemently following Celtic’s 2-0 defeat to Hearts on Sunday 3 March.

The backlash from Rodgers led to a one-match touchline ban for the Celtic boss due to his remarks on Beaton’s alleged “incompetence” during the match, particularly involving incidents leading to a red card and a penalty against Celtic.

In a column for the Scottish Mail on Sunday (7 April, page 101), Keown wittily remarked, “The real plotline of the match? Well, it seems to revolve around John Beaton, recently praised by Rodgers as a top referee… until that is, he was deemed ‘incompetent’ at Tynecastle last month and Rodgers landed in hot water.”

Heading into the Old Firm fixture, the spotlight inevitably shines on Beaton, with his recent interactions with Rodgers potentially coloring his decisions during the tense clash. Whether seeking reconciliation with the Celtic manager or inadvertently favoring Rangers due to past events, Beaton’s professionalism should prevail.

Although referees are prone to errors, the introduction of technologies like VAR aims to assist in decision-making. However, interpretations can still vary, especially given the complexities of the rules.

Philippe Clement and his Rangers side will aim to influence the outcome of the derby through their play rather than being overly concerned with the referee’s rulings. Nonetheless, the nature of such a significant fixture suggests that some form of controversy may emerge.

With both teams separated by a mere point at the summit of the Scottish Premiership, the significance of the upcoming clash cannot be overstated. Clement understands the stakes as he leads his team to Ibrox for this crucial encounter.