John McGinn mocks VAR after analysing controversial Aberdeen vs Motherwell footage
Aston Villa and Scotland star John McGinn has taken to social media to blast the use of VAR after Motherwell defender Liam Gordon was sent off against Aberdeen.
McGinn took to X on Wednesday night to mock a decision made by referee John Beaton that saw Motherwell‘s Gordon sent off for a tackle on Toyosi Olusanya in their Scottish Cup clash at Pittodrie.
He poked fun at the camera angle used to decide the red card, writing: “I’ve sent you to the screen, let’s send you to an angle from the North Sea to back it up,” as well as: “Scottish var is a mess,” in a separate post.
Aberdeen beat Jens Berthel Askou’s side 2-0 on home turf to progress to a Scottish Cup quarter-final tie against Dunfermline on 7 March.
It was a match full of controversial incidents surrounding referee Beaton, none more so than the decision to send Gordon off just after the interval.
Liam Gordon was contentiously sent off for DOGSO after VAR review
Gordon was the third player to be dismissed on the night at Pittodrie, after his teammate Oscar Priestman saw red early on, and Aberdeen midfielder Dennis Geiger also walked in the first half.
The centre-back switched off with the ball at his feet in his own half in the 47th minute, allowing Olusanya to pounce and set off towards goal before he was taken down by Gordon’s outstretched leg.
Beaton immediately brandished a yellow card, but was sent to the VAR monitor and upgraded the decision to red after review, despite other defenders seemingly covering Gordon’s back.
Keith Hackett slammed Beaton for Priestman red card decision – ‘Very harsh’
Gordon’s red was not the only controversial dismissal, after his teammate Priestman was also sent off for denying a goalscoring opportunity in the third minute of the cup encounter.
Motherwell keeper Matty Connelly played a loose pass into midfield that was quickly pounced on by the hosts, with Rangers loanee Lyall Cameron played through before being taken out by Priestman.
The 22-year-old clearly slipped before crashing into his opponent, and replays showed that the ball was heading into Connelly’s arms with other teammates goalside, but Beaton still quickly issued a red card.
Speaking to Football Insider about the incident, Hackett said: “The issuing of a red card to the Motherwell player is incorrect. The defender slipped, and the sanction is very harsh.
“If the red card was for the denial of an obvious goalscoring opportunity, then that is the incorrect decision due to the covering defenders in position.
“Where is VAR? I guess that he must be in agreement with the referee’s call of a red card.
“He clearly slipped. You can see that there is a covering defender moving towards (the ball), and the goalkeeper is likely to be able to challenge for the ball.”