Celtic defender Alistair Johnson admitted "something didn't feel right" against Rangers following the Connor Goldson flashpoint on derby day.
The Scottish Premiership leaders were in dire need of a leveller at the time of the handball claim and Celtic would have had the opportunity to fire the ball beyond Allan McGregor had Goldson been penalised for a handball. The ball appeared to strike the arm of the Rangers star following a drive towards goal from Carl Starfelt, but referee John Beaton failed to point to the penalty spot.
Willie Collum checked the incident in the VAR room using multiple angles but the man in the middle was not sent to the monitor at the side, with the decision taken that Goldson had not made his body unnaturally bigger when blocking the shot. However, Canadian international Johnston reckons a penalty should have been given for the call as he poured over the Ibrox point.
Speaking at Hampden to promote the SPFL Match Attax collection, the full-back refused to put the blame for the draw on the match officials. Asked about the handball, he said: "It happened so quick you couldn't really tell, then we are waiting for the throw and they said he was looking at a potential handball.
"That kind of made sense because something did not feel right about what happened in there. Then after the match you obviously see the replay of it, and I think it's hard to argue that is a natural hand position.
"As a defender especially you put your hands up there (and) you generally run the risk. So for me obviously I thought it was a pen, obviously I'm a little biased here but it is what it is.
"At the same time it's a 90 minute match, and that is just one decision that was made. There are so many other moments in that match where we could have done better, where you are not putting the end of a match in someone else's control.
"There are moments where we could have done so much more. We don't look at it as VAR screwed us.
"We look at it as, yeah, it was a decision that went against us but there will be plenty that hopefully go for us, and more that go against us in the future. That is the name of the game. All we ask for is consistency."
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