Pat Bonner accuses John Beaton of cardinal sin in Rangers win vs Celtic

Pat Bonner accuses John Beaton of cardinal sin in Rangers win vs Celtic

Pat Bonner has taken aim at referee John Beaton following Rangers’ latest Old Firm victory over Celtic, accusing the official of making a major error during a fiery encounter at Celtic Park.

Rangers secured another important derby result, but one of the biggest talking points surrounded Emmanuel Fernandez’s involvement in two early incidents involving Celtic forward Benjamin Nygren.

Fernandez was booked after bringing down Camilo Durán in the opening stages. However, only minutes later, the Rangers defender was involved in another challenge on Nygren that sparked furious appeals from the Celtic players and supporters.

Beaton chose not to award a foul, allowing play to continue.

Bonner: “The referee bottled it”

Speaking on BBC Sportsound, former Celtic goalkeeper Bonner was highly critical of Beaton’s decision.

“It’s got to be a foul. The referee bottled it there.”

Bonner’s comments reflected the view of several pundits who believed Fernandez was fortunate to escape another yellow card. �

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Former Rangers midfielder Scott Arfield also questioned the decision, saying he was unsure whether Fernandez had made contact with the ball. Former Celtic striker Chris Sutton similarly described the challenge as a foul and said the Rangers defender was “a lucky boy.” �

The Scottish Sun

A crucial moment in the Old Firm

The incident became particularly significant because Fernandez had already been booked.

Had Beaton judged the second challenge to be a foul worthy of another yellow card, Rangers could have been reduced to ten men early in the match.

Instead, the defender remained on the pitch as Rangers continued to compete in an intense contest.

The decision has therefore become one of the major talking points surrounding the match, with Bonner’s criticism adding further fuel to the debate over Beaton’s officiating.

Rangers benefit from controversial moment

The controversy does not take away from Rangers’ performance, but it does highlight how quickly an Old Firm match can turn on individual refereeing decisions.

Beaton had already shown several cards during the opening stages, including bookings for Rangers’ Fernandez and both managers, Derek McInnes and Mark Fotheringham, following a heated touchline exchange. �

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For Celtic, the frustration will be that they believed Rangers should have been playing with ten men after Fernandez’s second involvement.

For Rangers, however, the decision allowed them to maintain their full defensive shape and continue their pursuit of another significant derby victory.

Bonner’s “bottled it” accusation is now likely to remain one of the most discussed moments from the latest Old Firm clash, as debate continues over whether Beaton should have punished Fernandez more severely. �

The Scottish Sun