'Huge Risk' - Pundit stunned by Rangers v St Johnstone penalty incident as he sees footage again

Rangers should have been given a first-half penalty in their 2-0 win over St Johnstone at Ibrox on Sunday night, according to Alan Hutton.

After earlier being booked, Saints defender Aaron Essel clearly pulled Cyriel Dessers’ shirt in the penalty area, leading to the striker going to the ground as he attacked a corner kick.

Dessers’ shirt was tugged to the point he was clearly being impeded and ex-Gers right-back Hutton is adamant that referee David Dickinson should have pointed to the spot.

Speaking on Premier Sports on Sunday night (8:54pm, 6 October), Hutton said: “At first, I didn’t notice it. But when you look back at it, you see Essel holding [Dessers’] top. It’s not just a little grab, it’s a full-on pull and I think he’s a very lucky boy.

“If you look at the referee there, he’s got a very good view of it so I’m surprised that action wasn’t taken.

“That’s a huge risk in the box. He’s already been booked. He’s very lucky.”

Marvin Bartley agreed with Hutton. He said: “He’s got away with one there.

“As Alan says, Dessers shirt is clearly pulled back, he impedes him, he stops him being able to go forward.

“That’s a penalty kick all day and Rangers will be upset with that decision.”

No penalty to Rangers on this occasion

It’s one thing an on-field referee not spotting that.

It was an obvious shirt pull because Dessers was almost being undressed by Essel but with the pace games are played at, you can at least excuse Dickinson for not awarding the Gers a penalty.

However, the fact that VAR didn’t think that was worth looking at again is a joke.

A shirt pull is as objective as it gets. It’s obvious when it happens and in this case, it could not have been clearer.

Essel was already on a yellow card and had that been a foul, there’s no doubt that he’d have gone into the book again and sent down the tunnel for an early bath.

Rangers should feel aggrieved by that decision but there’s no doubt their luck will balance out over the course of the season when it comes to penalty shouts.

In other Rangers news, Michael Stewart has slammed Dessers after what he saw him do at Ibrox against St Johnstone.

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