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Daily Record
Daily Record
Sport
Mark Pirie

Chris Sutton in bemused Celtic VAR poser as operator called out over 'stonewaller' ref review

Puzzled Chris Sutton has questioned VAR operator Steven McLean over the time taken to review handball claims against Hearts star Michael Smith against Celtic.

The new system was at the heart of a seven-goal thriller at Tynecastle with Ange Postecoglou's side edging out the Jambos in an enthralling 4-3 victory, but the debut of VAR in the Scottish Premiership left many fans and both bosses with plenty of questions about the decision making. Cameron Carter-Vickers foul on Cammy Devlin was subject to lengthy review off field before referee Nick Walsh was summoned by McLean to the monitor to award a spot-kick.

At the other end of the pitch Hearts defender Smith avoided punishment after James Forrest 's connected with his hand, meaning Celtic were not given a penalty. The decision was quickly made off the pitch that whistler Walsh had made the correct call on the park and did not require a break in play for an on-screen decision.

Former Celtic hero Sutton admits he was perplexed by the speed of the call to rule out the handball. Sutton told BBC 606: "I think a lot of Celtic fans would have issue with the incident just before half-time. It was James Forrest and Michael Smith.

"Steven McLean was the (VAR) referee. It looked like a penalty, and most people would say Michael Smith moved his hand towards the ball.

"Why did it take so long for the award of the Hearts penalty, where most people would says in real-time that it should have been a penalty? Then it took such a short space of time to rule out the Celtic one, when that looked an absolute stonewaller?"

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