Michael Stewart highlights disgraceful VAR blackout that should have brought Celtic red card 

Graeme HannaGraeme Hanna
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The lack of a red card for Alastair Johnston wasn’t the reason Rangers didn’t get a result, but the disgraceful officiating changed the game. 

Celtic were by far the better team in the second half, but they should have started it with 10 men. 

Incredibly, VAR did not intervene to send off Johnston for going over the ball and hitting Mikey Moore with the studs on the ankle. 

A pointless apology and correction are likely to follow, but that is no use now, or in the aftermath. 

What’s the point of VAR? What is the point of John Beaton (VAR today) when they can’t make simple decisions like this one?

It’s not about the result, but the VAR failure impacts the outcome

Rangers will be accused of sour grapes for criticising the decision or asking for something to be done. 

Nothing ever happens. The officials keep on getting it wrong, time after time. 

Danny Rohl and the team’s performance will rightly be scrutinised and criticised, but that’s a separate issue. 

This isn’t about getting beat, but if the right, clear and obvious decision is made, the game could have been different. 

It’s hard to take and accept because of how blatant it is. 

Graeme Hanna is the Site Lead and Editorial Business Partner at Read Rangers, brought to you by the Dave.Sport Group. He has featured in the Rangers Review, Vital Rangers, and Follow Follow fanzine, with a particular interest in fan culture at Ibrox and elsewhere in the game. Graeme has written more than 1000 articles over the last five years across various online publishing sites, as well as bylines in national titles. His Rangers journalism highlights include post-match press conferences with Steven Gerrard at Ibrox during lockdown and experiencing the 2022 Europa League Final in Seville from the press box. When not writing about Rangers or attending games, he enjoys eating good food and travelling as much as possible. Follow Graeme Hanna: https://www.linkedin.com/in/graemehanna/ | https://x.com/graeme818

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