Former PGMOL chief Keith Hackett has backed referee Matthew MacDermid over his decision not to send off Aberdeen player Afeez Aremu during Rangers’ 1-0 win on Sunday.

​The match contained several heated moments, including a heavy sliding tackle from Aremu on Cameron Devlin. Aremu caught the Rangers player high on the leg, leading to strong protests from the home crowd for a red card. MacDermid ultimately opted to issue a yellow card instead.

​Reviewing the incident for Football Insider, Hackett acknowledged that while the tackle was borderline, the referee and VAR correctly judged the situation based on the lack of malice.

​Keith Hackett’s Verdict

​Hackett admitted his initial reaction leaned toward a red card before a closer look changed his mind.

​He explained that although the challenge came in late and high, Aremu’s foot dropped slightly upon initial contact. He noted that slow-motion replays often make tackles appear far worse than they are in real time.

​Hackett highlighted that sending off a player usually requires evident malice, which was absent in this instance. However, he warned that jumping into a challenge with a high boot always risks an immediate red card, meaning Aremu was fortunate to escape with a booking.

​Next Steps for Rangers

​The narrow victory provided a crucial boost for Derek McInnes’ side following their premature European exit last season. Rangers controlled large stretches of the match and will look to build momentum during an upcoming run of fixtures against Falkirk, Motherwell, and St. Mirren before facing key Old Firm derbies.