SFA panel deliver verdict on major Rangers and Celtic decisions plus Hearts v Aberdeen gripes

The three-person panel, which sits weekly and is made up of people who work within Scottish football, unanimously agreed with the decision to award Celtic a penalty for a handball against Rangers defender Dujon Sterling in last Sunday’s Old Firm clash at Ibrox.

Rangers were leading 2-1 when, in the 89th minute, a header from Celtic’s Daizen Maeda was diverted by the arm of Sterling onto goalkeeper Jack Butland, who saved.

Referee John Beaton was subsequently called to the pitchside monitor by VAR Steven McLean and after reviewing the video footage, awarded a spot-kick to Celtic. Reo Hatate saw his effort saved by Butland, who also stopped the initial rebound, before the Japanese midfielder bundled the ball over the line at the third attempt to rescue a point for the Hoops.

Celtic felt they should have also had a penalty for handball in their 2-1 victory over Aberdeen on Wednesday when a cross from Sebastian Tounekti was blocked by the arm of Jack Milne.

Referee Nick Walsh was unmoved by the claims of Celtic players while VAR Chris Graham checked the incident and deemed that an onfield review was not necessary.

Martin O'Neill, the Celtic manager, claimed that a spot-kick should have been awarded: "I thought it was a handball," he said afterwards. "It looked pretty clear but it wasn't given."

However, according to the KMI panel, the correct outcome was reached with the report stating that "the on-field decision was unanimously supported."

The KMI panel took the same view that the correct outcome was reached on the penalty awarded to Aberdeen for a challenge by Celtic defender Liam Scales on Toyosi Olusanya, which was given on the field by Walsh and okayed by Graham on VAR.

The decision to award Celtic's winning goal - scored by substitute Benjamin Nygren in the second half - was not reviewed by the KMI panel despite Aberdeen interim boss Peter Leven claiming that the Swede "looked offside" when he converted a cutback from James Forrest.

Aberdeen also felt they should have received a penalty in their 1-0 defeat by Hearts at Tynecastle last Saturday when Stuart Armstrong fell under a challenge from Michael Steinwender in the box.

"It's a penalty all day long," was Leven's verdict afterwards, however, the KMI panel unanimously agreed that the officials got the decision right. A second Aberdeen penalty claim for handball in the same match was also dismissed by all three panellists.

The KMI panel looked at 10 incidents in total from matches which took place on February 28, March 1 and March 4 and found that no errors were made.