Former Premier League referee Jeff Winter has explained the decision to disallow Abdallah Sima's Rangers strike against Celtic comes down to one factor.
The former top-level official has revealed the only outcomes were a penalty for Rangers or the goal being disallowed - and that hinged on when the ball entered play.
Sima thought he had fired Rangers ahead at Hampden as he poked home from a corner before a VAR review saw the finish ruled out.
Nick Walsh ruled Joe Hart had been fouled by Nico Raskin with replays showing a push on the Celtic goalkeeper.
However, the decision left Rangers players and supporters furious with outcry over a possible foul on Raskin even before he lays hands on Hart.
Replays show Greg Taylor with his arms around the Rangers midfielder - but it's unclear whether the ball was even in play when the pair grappled in the box.
For Winter, there are no complaints over the foul on Joe Hart, but he insists it should have been a penalty IF the ball was in play when Celtic defender Taylor grabbed Raskin.
On X, formerly Twitter, Winter commented: "Was the ball in play when Raskin was being held, if so penalty, if not no penalty.
"Did Raskin push Hart in the back with both hands, yes.
"Not my opinion, fact!!"
Rangers manager Philippe Clement had admitted his frustration at the decision in his post-match press conference.
He said: "If you have the scenario also that you score goals and they are disallowed in that way, that is also in that moment a disappointment.
"If I compare with the push that Scales gave to Dujon Sterling in the first half, it's a much bigger push than what happened with Joe Hart today.
"If I see also how all the Celtic defenders are grabbing my players and having their arms around their neck and around their waist...it's a really big call to make to disallow the goal."
