Todd Cantwell gets unanimous Rangers red card verdict but playmaker 'got out of jail' in PSV showdown

Rangers star Todd Cantwell has been told he "got out of jail" against PSV Eindhoven as he avoided a second yellow card in the Champions League playoff.

It was pulsating showdown at Ibrox as the two sides fought it out in the first leg to take a step towards the group stage of the competition and rubbing shoulders with Europe's elite sides this season. Abdallah Sima and Rabbi Matondo put the Scottish Premiership club ahead twice but Ibrahim Sangare strike and Luuk De Jong’s header pegged them back to set up a shoot-out for the £40million group stage jackpot.

But with the game poised at 1-1 Cantwell lunged at PSV man Sergino Dest as the Barcelona loanee launched the ball forward - with the former Norwich City star already being handed a booking by referee Clement Turpin. The man in the middle opted to keep his cards in his pocket allowing the Englishman to remain on the park - but the pundits believed it was a lucky escape.

Speaking on BBC, Neil McCann said: "I tell you what he has got out of jail I think here. His heart must be beating. It’s a yellow card all day long and the referee has done him a real favour. A rush of blood to the head of Cantwell.”

Former Rangers man Stephen Thompson backed up McCann adding: “He has got to realise he is on a yellow card. That is a crazy, crazy challenge.”

On TNT Sports, Ally McCoist was sweating over a red card stating: “It’s a silly challenge. Particularly when you have been booked. I have been praising him for his performance for 65 minutes or so for his energy and his commitment but he has got to be a bit cute and clever."