'You're kidding me, incredible' - Ex-PGMOL chief can't believe Rangers vs Celtic referee got controversy 'so wrong'
That is according to former PGMOL chief and ex-FIFA referee, Keith Hackett, who exclusively told Football Insider that officials were "100 per cent wrong" during the Gers' 3-0 win.
Dan Neil was on target twice, sandwiching Kevin Kelsy's first goal in Rangers colours, as Derek McInnes' side claimed a much-needed Old Firm victory on Sunday, 13 September.
Martin O'Neill's side barely laid a finger on their opponents, at least in the goal-sense, but that cannot be said for the footage now going viral on social media.
During the game, the Hoops were handed a free-kick, with Ryan Don Naderi being punished for slipping into Mika Baur in the middle of the park.
However, replays showed that it was at least the other way around, with Baur landing a studs-up challenge on his opponent's lower leg.
Mika Baur 'close to a red card' for Celtic
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, Hackett admitted his surprise at the incident, stating that the midfielder was on the verge of a red card.
"You're kidding me. Oh crikey. Well, first of all, that's close to a red card without a shadow of a doubt," he said.
"It's reckless at minimum, which is a yellow card. I find it incredible that the referee has got this so wrong. But this is about concentration.
"Clearly at that moment in time, when errors of this nature take place on a field of play, and I've interrogated thousands of them, invariably the referee is not seeing what we are seeing.
"But the outcome should have been very clearly spotted. I think in the game of football, we've forgotten the importance of our assistant referees.
"We're forgetting, and I don't know the proximity of this offense to the technical area, but in these situations, VAR and officials, they're all connected by a communication kit. That's 100 per cent incorrect."
Chris Sutton takes aim at Celtic midfielders
Baur is not only being criticised for his challenge on Naderi, having also been involved in Chris Sutton's rant on social media after the game.
The Sky Sports pundit blamed O'Neill's midfield seelection of Baur, Benjamin Nygren and Callum McGregor as the reason for the Hoops' struggles.
Nico Raskin and Neil completely ran the show at Ibrox, firing into 50/50 challenges and driving their team forward whenever called upon.
That is exactly what Celtic were missing during the Old Firm clash, and it is clear that Baur is still settling into life in Scotland. A red card would have only rubbed salt into the wounds.