Ange Postecoglou: Rangers handball one of at least three major decision against Celtic | Michael Beale: VAR got it right | Football News

Ange Postecoglou believes there is “zero chance” the decisions against Celtic will balance themselves out, insisting they were wrongly denied a penalty against Rangers.

Ibrox centre-back Connor Goldson appeared to block Carl Starfelt’s effort with two hands raised to his face during Monday’s 2-2 draw.

But referee John Beaton played on and video assistant referee Willie Collum did not call him to the monitor.

The Celtic manager cannot understand the reasoning: “It’s a penalty. I’ve seen people doing all sorts of mental gymnastics trying to show why it’s not a penalty which probably suggests it is, so stop trying to find a reason it’s not.”

Celtic were denied a penalty against Hearts after a Michael Smith handball, while Matt O’Riley and Alexandro Bernabei were penalised against Ross County and Dundee United respectively.

The Scottish Premiership leaders won all three of those games and took a point at Ibrox but Postecoglou is less than impressed by what he sees as a lack of consistency.

“I don’t think it’s just confined to us as a club, I think there are other clubs probably in the same boat, where it’s just really confusing now for players in the box to know what they can or can’t do because it seems like it changes depending on who is in charge of the decision-making process.

“There’s been zero consistency in the decisions being made. I’ve always abided by the referee’s decision, you’d be hard-pressed to find me criticising any referee in my whole tenure as a manager because I’ve always believed these things even themselves out.

“They’re human beings, they make mistakes. We make mistakes, players make mistakes.

“These things usually even themselves out but when I look at the introduction of VAR and the decisions that have gone against us in particular, there’s zero chance that’s going to even out between now and the end of the year because it’s just remarkable that we’ve had at least three major decisions go against us.

“We can just say it comes down to interpretation but I guarantee you that if that game finished two-all and it was Rangers that were denied that decision the talk this week would be how that was a title-defining decision.

“The fact that it wasn’t because we still got a result, as we have in all the other games when decisions have gone against us, it doesn’t mean we should ignore it because that could be a team that gets relegated on a decision like that.

“I still think it needs to be highlighted, it still needs clarification. Before we even started introducing VAR it’s always been a penalty.

“To be honest there were only two saves made in the game, one by Joe and one by Connor. That was it”

Beale: Officials deserve credit

Rangers manager Michael Beale has defended the match officials, insisting they had a “really good game” at Ibrox.

“I thought it was the least controversial Old Firm in a long while in terms of tackles and bookings,” he told Sky Sports News.

“I thought they handled the occasion very, very well with two really committed teams going toe for toe.

“I think they deserve credit as well because I thought they did well.

“We’re all a little bit unsure with the rule but, having then read what the rule is, I think they got the decision right.

“I’m not a referee, I’m not a VAR official and I’ve seen them get some applause for that decision this week. If that’s what the rule says in the book then I think they got the decision right and we’ll move on.”