BBC SPORTSCENE PUNDITS believe that Dundee United should’ve been reduced to ten men after VAR awarded Celtic their second-half penalty.
Kieran Freeman had moved his hand, from by his side, towards the ball, blocking it from making its way through, before putting his hand behind his back.
It was clearly a deliberate handball; there’s no doubt about it. But, despite already being booked, he wasn’t shown another yellow card.
BBC Sportscene pundits Neil McCann and Marvin Bartley were in agreement that Dundee United should’ve had a man sent off.
Bartley explained: “There’s no argument with this one. One thing that did surprise me, and I don’t want to see players sent off, but for me that’s a deliberate handball. How did Freeman managed to stay on the pitch after being booked earlier?”
McCann agreed: “That was one of the easier ones. The idea was whether it was inside or outside but I don’t know why it’s not a red card because it’s absolutely deliberate.”
This incident just highlights the inconsistencies in Scottish football. For handballs which were not deliberate, Alexandro Bernabei’s, when his arm was behind his back, have resulted in bookings.
We’ve heard excuses before about not wanting to send players off from pundits, but if he’s committed a second bookable offence, he has to walk. It’s as simple as that.
On Sunday the referee, eventually, made the right decision but still managed to mess it up!
