Rangers assistant Gary McAllister admits Filip Helander could have been sent off

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The Ibrox coach has admitted the Rangers defender caught an opposition forward bearing down on goal.

Rangers assistant manager Gary McAllister has admitted summer signing Filip Helander could have seen red for his challenge on Lyndon Dykes, speaking on BT Sport.

With the Livingston forward breaking free of Steven Gerrard’s defence, Helander was faced with the only option of sliding in and trying to win the ball.

Although the referee refused to rule in Livingston’s favour, replays showed that the Swedish international wiped out Dykes in his attempts to play the ball first.

It could have proved to be a huge moment in the match and McAllister believes the Gers could have got away with one.

The incident he didn’t take issue with was Ricki Lamie’s elbow on Joe Aribo, which has left the Rangers midfielder facing a significant spell out of the team.

McAllister reckons that Don Robertson was right not to show red in that instance.

As quoted by BT Sport, the Rangers coach said: “Now that I’ve seen the Helander one, it looks as if he’s caught the forward. So he could possibly could have gone off.

“With the other one, I think Lamie makes a genuine effort to go and head the ball. It’s just that natural elevating his arms up and he’s got his elbows up. I don’t think there’s a movement of the elbow to the head of Joe Aribo. So it was a good decision by the referee.”

Fair assessment?

McAllister’s comments are certainly interesting given there’s a consensus that Lamie perhaps should have got his marching orders for the challenge on Aribo. Pundit Ally McCoist slammed the Livingston man for the way he competed for the ball, calling him reckless.

Clearly the Rangers coach feels that his side have got a bit lucky with the officiating. If Helander had been sent off, it could have been a radically different result to the 1-0 victory for Gerrard’s men.

Helander made a big error and in fact didn’t look particularly convincing throughout the 90 minutes. At the moment he looks a yard short of the pace required to be comfortable in Scottish football.

Rangers fans will be hoping he’s just going through an adjustment period and simply needs more matches, rather than it being a reflection of his ability.