The interim boss fumed at full-time after Ianis Hagi was denied a spot kick on derby day
Andy Walker reckons VAR would not have overturned a penalty to Rangers had it been awarded against Celtic.
Barry Ferguson fumed following the draw at Ibrox after Callum McGregor’s clash with Ianis Hagi in the penalty box.
Viljami Sinisalo denied Nicolas Raskin – before Hagi attempted to latch on to the rebound on the edge of the six-yard box.
However, Celtic skipper McGregor would put the Romanian playmaker under pressure to deny him the shot on goal.
Ferguson and his coaching team took their protests to the fourth official during the match – but referee Nick Walsh and Andrew Dallas in the VAR room were unmoved.
Former Gers’ defender Craig Moore conceded on the Go Radio Football Show: “I think Rangers maybe would have been disappointed with the penalty claim.”
Former Celt Walker chimed in: “Did you think it was a penalty?”
Moore backed up boss Ferguson – who claimed that flashpoint would have been awarded as a foul had it taken place in the middle of the field.
He said: “What I would say there is that you would probably see that foul given all over the park.
“When it’s in the box, it’s sometimes therefore thought of being different. I would have had no issue if it was a penalty – or if it was given either way.”
Walker stated that Dallas and the VAR team would not have stepped in had Walsh made the on-field call: “That is the interesting thing – had Nick Walsh given a penalty, it’s maybe a soft penalty but it’s still a penalty.
“If Nick Walsh, if his thought was it was a penalty I don’t think VAR would get involved.
“It’s not an outrageous decision, but again I think he called it right. You don’t want VAR to intervene in everything.
“There was nothing huge, in terms of an error, there. He made a judgement call, he didn’t think it was a penalty – and that’s OK.”
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