‘Ludicrous’ – Murty left raging over one man in Rangers win v Dundee
Rangers manager Graeme Murty has revealed he was furious with the decision to book Colombian striker Alfredo Morelos for diving in Saturday’s 4-0 Scottish Premiership win over Dundee – branding it a “ludicrous” call by referee Greg Aitken.
Morelos was booked after a collision with Dundee keeper Elliot Parish, with the Dens Park stopper suffering a serious facial injury and needing to be substituted.
The Gers striker will now miss the Light Blues’ next league game as a result of his six yellow cards this season, and Murty admitted that the Gers felt “injustice” over the booking.
“I think we all feel a degree of injustice about the booking,” Murty said, as quoted by STV.
“The goalkeeper has unfortunately felt the impact of his foot and how a referee can judge that a dive when the evidence is there for all to see is beyond me.
“I found it really hard to conduct myself as I believe a Rangers manager should. I’ve got 50,000 people wanting me to remonstrate with the referee and tell him exactly what I think.
“I believe a Rangers manager should behave with more decorum than that. But when the opportunity presents itself I’ll tell the people in charge in no uncertain terms that I thought the decision was ludicrous.”
Morelos managed to get a goal and an assist in the 4-0 win over Neil McCann’s side to bring an end to his recent barren spell without a goal.
The result takes the Gers back into second in the Scottish Premiership after Aberdeen lost 2-0 to Hearts at Tynecastle to allow the Light Blues to overtake them on goal difference.
Kenny Miller, Daniel Candeias and Jamie Murphy also scored for Rangers to record the Gers’ first win in four games.
Football Insider verdict:
Murty and Rangers have every reason to feel aggrieved with the decision to book Morelos after he was clearly brought down by Parish. Despite the goalkeeper suffering a bad facial cut, it was a clear penalty and a bit reminiscent of the time Paul Lambert fouled Jorg Albertz for a spot kick and ended up leaving Ibrox missing two teeth. The only positive for the Gers is that it came at a point in the game when the result was already beyond doubt and did not prove to be the difference between a win or a draw for the Light Blues.
In other Rangers news, Celtic are in the running to sign this former Light Blues player in a shock summer transfer.
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