Rangers were lucky not to give away a penalty during the clash with Motherwell following a pull by Cyriel Dessers on Mika Biereth, according to the pundits.

Stuart Kettlewell fumed after the full-time whistle as he felt referee David Dickinson should have intervened following the incident – which saw Rangers star Dessers haul back the Arsenal loanee as he scrambled to tap the ball beyond Jack Butland after the Ibrox goalkeeper palmed the ball into his path. In the end the whistler would wave away claims with the VAR room team backing up the man in the middle over the incident.

The Light Blues earned a 2-0 win through goals by Kieran Dowell and Todd Cantwell as Philippe Clement continued his unbeaten start to life in the dugout. However, former ‘Well star James McFadden was irked that Dessers’ challenge went unpunished. He told Sky Sports: “We have seen them given for a lot less. We were at the VAR meeting and we were told not every pull is a foul, or at least a penalty kick.

“Then in the same weekend Celtic, ironically at home to Motherwell. Then Rangers get one at home to Aberdeen. For me that is a penalty, it’s a pull back.Cyriel Dessers – Rangers target’s career in numbers

“When it comes off Jack Butland it is going straight into the path of Biereth who would probably put it in the back of the net. I think that should probably be a penalty kick.”

Former Rangers star Scott Arfield also believed a spot-kick should have been awarded: ‘Yeah I think it is a penalty, I agree with James.

“This is the problem I’ve got – I don’t think at tug of your arm or a tug of your shirt makes you got that way but everybody is doing it and everybody seems to be getting penalties so from without a doubt Motherwell should feel aggrieved because I have seen them given.”

Asked if it could have changed the game, Boyd conceded he could see why it would be given – before taking a swipe at Gers cynics. He said: “Yeah, 100 per cent. it doesn’t matter if it’s on 90 minutes you still have a chance to get back in the game.

“You look at it and I understand why everyone is saying it’s a penalty. You would 100 per cent be looking for it, and James is right that every single thing that happens in a box now everyone is looking at ‘where is the foul, how can we get VAR involved’ – and the conspiracy theorists will be out again tonight as well.”

McFadden fired back: “It is just consistency. Because you have seen it given to other teams – Motherwell in particular had one against them. The question is then would Motherwell have it given for them.’

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