Chris Sutton fears Rangers vs Celtic flames have been fanned as he slams SFA over John Beaton 'powerplay' appointment

Chris Sutton says a needless SFA powerplay has poured petrol onto Old Firm flames and piled pressure on ref John Beaton.

The former Celtic striker believes the decision to appoint the whistler for Sunday’s crunch is an attempt from Hampden’s top brass to flex muscle. Beaton’s nomination came less than a week after Parkhead boss Brendan Rodgers was hit by an SFA ban for slating the official and colleague Don Robertson after their performances as VAR and match ref during last month’s game against Hearts at Tynecastle.

Sutton feels a subsequent effort from the corridors of power to display their strength has backfired to create two huge and unnecessary issues ahead of the showdown. The Record Sport columnist has seen the explosion of angst from both sets of supporters over the appointment. Sutton insists that has now placed Beaton under huge and unnecessary extra pressure going into the game and leaves him unable to put a foot wrong when it starts.

He said: “It seems to me that, after recent goings-on, this an attempt from the SFA to show they will not be dictated to or influenced when it comes to match officials. It’s a powerplay from the top brass and, in some respects, I get that. I also think that is a reasonable enough approach in a general sense.

“But for this weekend? This game? This ref? I don’t think that was clever or wise. Look at the reaction since. It’s blown up already and we’re days away from the game actually kicking off.

“You’ve got two sets of supporters now feeling as if they are going to be hard done-by or feeling uneasy about it. Some Celtic fans think Beaton is going to give Rangers every decision.

"Some Rangers fans think he’s going to give everything to Celtic because of the bashing he got from