Chris Sutton backs Celtic after controversial Motherwell penalty
The closing stages of Motherwell and Celtic still have Scotland arguing. On Wednesday night, the Glasgow Bhoys snatched a huge win in the dying seconds thanks to a penalty awarded after a VAR check. It was the sort of call that lit the fuse straight away.
At the centre of the row was Sam Nicholson handling the ball inside his own box in the 97th minute. Referee John Beaton was sent to the monitor by the video officials and, after a review, pointed to the spot.
Kelechi Iheanacho did the rest, burying the penalty to seal a dramatic 3-2 win for Celtic, a result that leaves the Glasgow club in control of its own fate in the title race heading into the final round against Hearts.
“The reactions are completely over the top”
As the criticism piled in after the game, Chris Sutton wasted no time hitting back. The former Celtic striker, still a loud voice in Scotland, believes the uproar is being blown well out of proportion.
In Sutton’s view, Beaton simply followed the process, checked the footage and saw the ball strike an arm away from the body. He reckons some of the noise since Wednesday has been more about a dislike of Celtic than any serious reading of the incident.
The ex-England international also suggested plenty of people would have happily seen the club drop points in the title race.
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A decision that is still splitting opinion
On the footage, Nicholson jumps to challenge for the ball with his arm raised in front of his face. That was enough to convince the referee after the review.
Since then, former players, pundits and supporters have been locked in a row over how the rule should be applied. Some say the award was spot on, while others argue the defender had no real chance of avoiding the contact.
One thing is clear: this call could end up carrying huge weight in the Scottish title race.
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Photo credit: Zak Mauger/Getty Images
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