Celtic star should have been sent off vs Kilmarnock as VAR told it got key Rugby Park call wrong

Celtic triumphed 2-0 away at Kilmarnock in the Scottish Premiership on Sunday to return to the top of the table following a game with plenty of flashpoints for referee Nick Walsh to sort out.

But his former SFA colleague Bobby Madden reckons the whistler got one of his big calls wrong during a rather bruising final 10 minutes, claiming he should’ve brandished a red card to Hoops midfielder Reo Hatate for misjudging a challenge on Killie’s Liam Donnelly in the second half. Hatate caught Donnelly with his studs up high on the knee with his late lunge and Walsh decided to book the Japanese international before the incident went to a VAR review.

Following a lengthy delay to assess the footage, Walsh was informed by fellow official Don Robertson at Clydesdale House to stick with his initial on-field decision. It was a tackle that Sky Sports co-commentator Chris Sutton felt Hatate had got away with before Kris Boyd vented his fury at the decision in his post-match analysis.

And retired whistler Madden has sided with both pundits, admitting the Japanese international should have been given his marching orders for ‘serious foul play’ due to endangering the safety of his opponent.

Madden commented via his official Instagram account: “Here you see the Celtic player has misjudged the ball and then lunges in and makes contact with the studs on the knee. Undoubtedly, this should be a red card for serious foul play as it endangers the safety of the opponent. The contact is there so a red card should have been recommended VAR.”

Madden also voiced his opinion on two further talking points throughout the game, the first of which involved Joe Wright and Adam Idah during the first-half. The Kilmarnock defender - who had already been sent off twice this season - was left walking a tightrope early on after catching the Hoops striker flush in the face with his left elbow as both players competed for a high ball to leave Idah bloodied and requiring a lengthy period of treatment.

Reviewing the incident, Madden declared: “So consideration for the referee is does the Kilmarnock player raise his arm as a weapon or as a tool. I think you can see he never once looks at the Celtic player using his arm for leverage so the yellow card for reckless is correct.”

Madden also looked back over the heated confrontation between Celtic goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel and Donnelly in the closing stages, during which the Danish international reacted angrily to the frustrated Killie midfielder late challenge while appearing to swing an arm in the act of making the tackle. A yellow card was shown once again with no further intervention required.

Madden added: “Final clip here. Yellow card correct. Shows a disregard for his opponent. Strike or attempt to strike was removed from the laws as a red card ten years ago. Yellow card for disregard correct.”