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Daily Record
Daily Record
Sport
Graeme Young

Steven Gerrard's Rangers anger and the John Beaton complaint managers keep raising

Rangers hero Alfredo Morelos' winner against Livingston certainly lifted the mood on a stormy night at the Tony Macaroni Arena.

Banished Steven Gerrard leaped higher than the fireworks that lit the West Lothian sky half an hour earlier as his talisman tapped home from close range.

It came only 45 minutes after he dropped an F-bomb during a heated half-time discussion with referee John Beaton after the whistler booked Rangers striker Morelos for simulation.

Gerrard himself was then hit with two quick-fire yellow cards and sent to the stands for the second 45 minutes.

There's no doubt the referee and his match officials got it badly wrong as the Colombian was clearly clipped by Livi keeper Max Stryjek.

(Getty Images)

Gerrard had his say after the match and described the non-call from Beaton, his assistant referee, and the fourth official as "bang out of order".

But the Liverpool icon's real ire was with, in his opinion, the referee's lack of engagement when he raced onto the pitch as the players were heading in for the break.

Gerrard said: "I asked for an explanation at half-time and the explanation I wanted is how can three people miss the same incident when they're looking straight at it.

"That's the only explanation I wanted.

"Ok, I got a little bit emotional which I apologise for but at this level with those experienced officials you expect better.

Robbie Neilson was also sent off by John Beaton and raised a similar complaint (SNS Group)

"I just wanted a conversation, he didn't look at me. He walked away from me.

"He said to me he wanted to speak to me inside but how can you speak inside if we're all in separate stands? It's impossible.

"I don't feel like I've done anything wrong expect ask for an explanation. That's all."

And those words are strikingly similar to those that came out the mouth of Robbie Neilson after the Hearts manager was booked twice by Beaton back in January during the 3-2 defeat to Raith.

The 40-year-old picked up his first caution for sarcastically applauding the match official and then was sent off after he confronted him.

But the Hearts boss - much like Gerrard - was left vexed by the lack of interaction from Beaton rather than the initial complaint.

He said: “Part of the reason I got a second yellow was because I just tried to speak to the referee.

“Most referees you are allowed to speak to but he just tells you to get out of his face.

“If you don’t get out of his face then he will yellow-card you. I’m disappointed as I just wanted to speak to him.”

Neilson was hit with a four-game ban, with two suspended, and Gerrard is likely to be cited too.

If he is punished along the same lines he could be forced to sit in the stands for the clash with Celtic on a day Rangers could win their first Premiership title in a decade.

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