Old Firm rivals Celtic and Rangers are going head-to-head for the Scottish Premiership title this season.
Celtic legend John Hartson has hit back at Steven Gerrard’s claims that Rangers do not get the benefit of the doubt from referees in the Scottish Premiership in his column for the Evening Times.
Just weeks into the job back in August, Gerrard dived into an eye-catching tirade against the quality of officiating in the top flight, suggesting that his Rangers side have been treated unfairly for as long as memory will allow.
“It’s been happening for a good while. I believe it’s been happening for seasons,” the former Liverpool captain told the Scottish Sun after a controversial draw at Aberdeen.
“I don’t think we ever get anything to go for us. Everything we have seen today is about Rangers.”
But, as Hartson is at pains to point out, Rangers have got a bit lucky on a number of occasions since, notably when Allan McGregor and Alfredo Morelos avoided red cards for petulant kicks against Celtic players in this season’s two Old Firm derbies.
The Gers found themselves at the centre of a number of flashpoints at the weekend too, winning four, yes four, penalties in a thrashing of St Mirren. According to Buddies boss Oran Kearney, just one of those was the right decision (Scottish Sun).
“If anything, it makes Steven Gerrard’s comments earlier this season about decisions going against Rangers for years sound a little bit silly,” Hartson told the Evening Times.
“I am thinking even back to the first game between the clubs this season when Allan McGregor quite clearly kicks Kristoffer Ajer but escapes any punishment for it.
“Then at Ibrox in December Alfredo Morelos got away with doing what he liked on the pitch, with a particularly cowardly stamp on Anthony Ralston allowed to stand, even in the aftermath when the referee got a chance to look at it.”
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