Celtic and Rangers were involved in one or two big VAR calls this weekend as former top referee Dermot Gallagher provided his analysis.
Michael Beale's side were up first at Fir Park as they bounced back with a 4-2 win over Motherwell, with Todd Cantwell opening his Rangers account and being involved in a red card flashpoint with Callum Slattery that divided opinion. There were also calls for offside during some of Rangers' goals, something that Motherwell reportedly want to take to the SFA.
Meanwhile Celtic's victory over Hibernian saw three penalties awarded and a red card. First Carl Starfelt was penalised via a VAR review for a shirt pull before his defensive partner Cameron Carter-Vickers went down in the area after a tussle with Paul Hanlon. Frenchman Elie Youan also saw red at Parkhead while a penalty awarded for a foul on Liel Abada was rescinded upon review.
READ MORE: Celtic No1 Joe Hart's fires cheeky one-liner at Giorgos Giakoumakis as Greek responds to online quip
And Gallagher has dissected each decision from the big games, claiming that Starfelt did hold the shirt too long and that Sakala was onside at Fir Park.
He told Sky Sports Ref Watch on Kevin van Veen's strike: "Well you look at it. Look at the cut of the grass Rob, that is what gives it away. There is a defender at the top of the screen there and he is in the light patch. And I think that is who plays him on when you see the lines go across he just plays him on.
The original cut of the grass, the defender was just inside the light cut."
On Sakala's goal, he said: "I think the optical illusion comes on this one. People look at the body shape but when you look it is the furthest point forward you can score with. The defender just plays him onside."
Callum Slattery was issued a second yellow and a subsequent red for a foul on Todd Cantwell, he added: "This may well have been an accumulation in fairness, Rob. He had a yellow card and committed another two or three fouls before this. I think the referee had probably just spoken to him before and said 'look next one you've got to go.'"
Hibs red card earned the comment: "This is a strange situation because [Cameron] Carter-Vickers goes to head the ball. He will say high boot. Is he entitled to put his boot that high? Some will say Carter-Vickers is leaning down but how high does a boot have to be?
"And don't forget it wasn't a red card, it was a second yellow. The referee said no, he said it is a high boot. That's the difference. You need to block out that it was a red card. It was a second yellow card. So it was a reckless challenge rather than a dangerous challenge."
On the penalties, he said: "The [Carl] Starfelt one I have just caught out the side of my eye. He held his shirt too long."
READ NEXT:
- Kieran Tierney in Arsenal bounce back as defender shows Mikel Arteta instant impact with assist
- Yosuke Ideguchi details Celtic career fear as outcast explains reason behind seeking Parkhead exit
- Celtic penalty vs Hibs earns unanimous BBC pundit verdict as panel deliver assessment on big call
- Celtic hero Scott Brown pinpoints Fleetwood 'extremely disciplined' factor in stunning Derby win
