Chris Sutton has unleashed a strong response at Graeme Souness following accusations of bias and attempting to sway VAR decisions. The former Rangers manager claimed that Sutton was influencing VAR decisions during their co-commentary at Ibrox alongside Kenny Miller, where VAR calls took center stage both during and after the match.

Sutton has a disdain for simulation, a topic he regularly discusses on his weekend BBC 5 Live show with Robbie Savage as part of the Simulation Game segment. One incident that drew criticism was Fabio Silva’s theatrics on Sunday, which was debated by Neil Lennon and Kris Boyd on Sky Sports during halftime. The on-loan Wolves winger was involved in a critical incident early in the second half, initially resulting in a yellow card by referee John Beaton. However, after a VAR review, the decision was overturned, giving way to a penalty for the home team.

Throughout the incident, Sutton’s stance remained firm. However, Souness claimed on TalkSPORT that pundits could influence the VAR room, suggesting Sutton may have played a role in the decision-making process. Responding to these allegations, Sutton firmly denied any attempt to influence VAR and criticized Silva’s actions, emphasizing the need to deter cheating in football.

Dismissing Souness’s accusations, Sutton maintained that his judgment was based on what he witnessed and refuted any bias towards Celtic or Rangers. He pointed out Souness’s possible partiality towards Rangers, stating that the incident wasn’t a clear penalty regardless of the teams involved. Sutton reiterated his belief that Silva’s actions constituted simulation and expressed perplexity over Walsh’s involvement in the decision, arguing that the initial call made by Beaton was correct.

Sutton’s unwavering stance on the incident highlights his commitment to fair play and his frustration with diving in football. He emphasized the need to eradicate simulation from the game and stood by his assessment, indicating that the debate around the incident suggests it wasn’t a clear error by the referee.

In a further twist, Souness had been a guest of James Bisgrove in the Directors Box at Celtic Park in December during a match where Brendan Rodgers’s side secured a 2-1 victory.

He recently participated in a Q&A session alongside Philippe Clement and Jim White. Earlier in the season, he had been seeking a formal role at Ibrox, but unfortunately, a satisfactory solution could not be reached.