VAR COULDN'T intervene at Alfredo Morelos Rangers 'goal' as top ref adamant Nick Walsh's hands were tied

Former FIFA ref Stuart Dougal insists VAR COULDN’T intervene at Alfredo Morelos’ controversial disallowed goal against Celtic but admits he would like to see a change to the protocol which would have allowed Kevin Clancy to have a second look at the incident.

Dougal says the fact the whistler didn’t make a “clear and obvious error” meant Nick Walsh was helpless in Clydesdale House as Morelos and Celtic defender Alistair Johnston jostled to win the ball a Borna Barisic’s corner with the Colombian prodding home what he thought was the opening goal.

The same two players were involved in another incident in the second half with footage showing the Hoops Canadian full back appearing to be pulling the striker’s shirt and Dougal insists it was "high risk defending" and says VAR would NOT have overturned the decision if Clancy had pointed to the spot.

But on the storm of the disallowed Morelos goal, Dougal said on BBC’s Vardict: “The problem for certain factions is that VAR can’t intervene because it’s not seen as a clear and obvious error. If there is something much more blatant - there is no contact whatsoever - then VAR could step in and ask the referee to have a look at it again. But where they are looking at that clip and it’s a bit 50/50 or 60/40, depending on what side of the fence you’re on, VAR can’t get involved under the current protocols.

“If I’m the referee in that situation I wouldn’t mind a wee second viewing of that just to make sure the call is correct. Kevin could very well go to the monitor if called by VAR and look at that and say he’s comfortable he’s seen a push and that it takes it into the territory of a foul being committed. He might have looked at it and said the push wasn’t as bad as he thought it