Chermiti’s appeal went unanswered

Former FIFA whistler Mark Clattenburg is adamant Rangers didn’t deserve a penalty in their draw with Motherwell at Fir Park.

There was a controversial moment during the Lanarkshire stalemate when striker Youssef Chermiti went down inside the box.

The former Everton frontman appeared to be bundled over by a combination of Steelmen duo Elliott Watt was behind the forward and Paul McGinn.

Rangers were leading through Nico Raskin when the incident happened but there was nothing doing, and Motherwell rubbed salt in their wounds with a late leveller through Stephen Welsh despite being reduced to 10 men when Lukas Fadinger was sent off for a foul on Mikey Moore.

VAR John Beaton intervened when he asked referee Steven McLean to take a second look at Fadinger’s lunge on Moore after an initial booking and ex Premier League whistler Clattenburg has backed both McLean and Beaton for not awarding a penalty

He told Rangers News : “Rangers demanded a penalty when Youssef Chermiti went down under a challenge from Elliott Watt.

Referee Steven McLean speaks to Rangers’ James Tavernier and Youssef Chermiti

“There was a contact, but I am not convinced that was enough contact for him to go down. I understand the referee’s decision to play on, and for sure, this would not be on VAR to make an intervention.”

Rangers fans on social media were left raging. One wrote: “How was that not a penalty on Chermiti? The ball drops exactly where he was standing, the Motherwell player kicks his ankle then falls on the back of his legs.” Another said: “Are we surprised VAR didn’t have a further look at the incident on Chermiti? It’s very clumsy from the Motherwell defender. Chermiti stands his ground and is stood on and bundled over.

The Light Blues themselves also survived a penalty shout against them when defender John Souttar slipped as Callum Slattery took a shot and the Scotland defender’s arm landed on the ball.