Former FIFA referee Mark Clattenburg has defended the VAR intervention that awarded Dundee a penalty against Celtic, insisting referee Steven McLean correctly overturned his original decision.
The incident occurred when Ryan Astley’s strike struck Colby Donovan’s arm inside the penalty area, prompting a video review that resulted in Simon Murray’s equalising spot kick. While debate followed the decision, Clattenburg believes the call was straightforward.
Speaking exclusively to 67 Hail Hail, the former official explained: “I have no doubt that the VAR made the right decision in awarding a penalty kick when Ryan Astley’s shot is blocked by the arm of Colby Donovan. The defender’s arm is away from the body making his body bigger so the call to award a penalty was correct. Referee Steven McLean eventually after being recommended a review was correct to overturn his original decision.”
The ruling meets the threshold for a handball offence, with Donovan’s arm position increasing his silhouette as the shot arrived. However, Clattenburg’s analysis extends beyond the officiating to Celtic’s defensive vulnerabilities.
The focus on VAR distracts from how the situation developed initially. With four Celtic defenders in proximity, Astley was still permitted to get his shot away unchallenged. Donovan’s body shape under pressure represented a clear defensive lapse rather than mere misfortune, placing responsibility on the player rather than the officials.
Once the shot was struck, any poor arm positioning from defenders becomes vulnerable to video referee punishment. The decision itself, once accepted as correct, highlights deeper issues in Celtic’s defensive organisation that allowed the opportunity to materialise in the first place.
The champions ultimately recovered to win 2-1 through Kelechi Iheanacho’s late goal, but the incident served as a reminder of ongoing frailties at the back as the title race reaches its decisive phase.