Two Celtic vs Motherwell referee and VAR calls spark angst as Hoops star told he could have been sent off

Motherwell boss Jens Berthel Askou was left questioning whether or not Celtic could have been down to 10 men in their win over his side - as a red card for his was put under the microscope.

The Hoops clinched a key win in their Premiership title quest thanks to a Yang double either side of half-time and Tomas Cvancara’s second half penalty. Askou was left questioning a challenge on Elijah Just - who later netted for the Steelmen - by Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain early in the first half. He was booked by referee John Beaton and VAR did not call on him to have a second look at his decision.

Beaton would come over to the monitor to look at Emmanuel Longelo’s challenge on Daizen Maeda which resulted in the penalty that Cvancara dispatched, not only pointing to the spot, but sending the left-back off. Askou says he’s witnessed more challenges like Oxlade-Chamberlain’s turned into a red than Longelo’s, as the Motherwell manager assessed the game in Glasgow’s east end.

Could Celtic have had sending off vs Motherwell?

Askou said: “I have seen that turn into a red card a lot more often than the penalty that was given following a fight for the ball in the box. Fair enough, that’s the call. I don’t see anything vicious in the tackle, it was just a little bit clumsy. But it is also a tackle that almost wipes out Eli’s opportunity of going to a World Cup.

“Thank God he was able to keep playing. There was a same incident with the same player (in the second half) where he again could have had a second yellow and maybe should. These are the things you sometimes need to go your way. If not, you need to be extraordinarily good to counter that. We were good but not that good.

“Elijah Just a very skilful player who plays extremely close to the pressure, played an outstanding game out here, even at left full-back at the end, he was still playing as a 10 and a winger at the same time, trying to get something out of the game for us.

Celtic 3-1 Motherwell verdict

“He's very, very sore. He looks swollen down the leg. It doesn't look good. It looks like he's been at war. You have to take the cuts and the bruises and the knocks and then trust that the referees will do what they need to do to look after him. I can't see why he wasn't called to the monitor in that case, but what’s done is done.”

“I thought it was a very good statement from both teams in terms of how you want football to be played. I think both teams did their best to create an exciting game to watch and I think that is important. Both teams invested a lot in winning the game and I am proud of the effort we put in.”

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