Hutton changes his mind after re-analysing controversial Kyogo-Celtic footage
Alan Hutton has praised the work of VAR official Andrew Dallas after referee David Dickinson downgraded Celtic from a penalty to a free-kick against St Mirren.
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the former Rangers defender said he initially thought the challenge was a penalty but after rewatching the incident it was obvious the contact occurred outside the box.
As shown on Sky Sports (6 March), Kyogo Furuhashi was brought down by St Mirren’s Charles Dunne as he was running onto a lose ball heading for the Saints box.
Referee David Dickinson showed Dunne a straight red and initially pointed to the penalty spot.
But, after instruction from Dallas in the VAR room, Dickinson consulted the monitor and changed the penalty decision to a free kick.
Hutton was pleased to see VAR working effectively.
“When I first saw it I thought it was a penalty,” he told Football Insider.
“Dunne makes a really poor mistake and Kyogo is on it in a flash and gets in front of him, it is a pull back and red card. Initially I did think it was a penalty because it happened that quickly.
“Obviously when you are travelling it looked like he was in the box or even on the line but when you slow it down and you have a look again, the initial contact is just outside the box. That is where the foul has to be given.
“But I understand why there is a debate about it. But when you slow it down I think it is just fractionally outside.“
In other news, according to expert, Celtic in line for ‘£5m’ Jeremie Frimpong windfall after source’s PL move reveal.