John Lundstram Rangers red vs Celtic has Kenny Miller at odds with rest of pundits in heated debate
Kenny Miller seems to be the only man who thinks John Lundstram was harshly sent off for Rangers against Celtic.
The ex-Hoops and Gers striker was on co-commentary as his two former clubs when head-to-head in the final Premiership Old Firm derby of the season, with Celts emerging as 2-1 victors against their ten-man opponents. That means that while it's not mathematically confirmed, they are all but champions with two games to spare.
A key moment in the match was the midfielder's sending off. Rangers had just earned themselves a lifeline through Cyriel Dessers after going two down to Matt O'Riley's opener and Lundstram scoring an own goal on a truly miserable afternoon for him in what is likely to be his last league derby.
But instead of building momentum after the Nigerian's goal, the sending off came minutes after. Miller expressed his opinion at the time, furiously stating that it was "never" a red card.
And when debriefing on the game with the pundits in the studio, he stuck to his guns despite everyone else disagreeing with him. It led to a rather heated discussion on Sky Sports with the full transcript below:
Kenny Miller: "Listen, I understand why it's a red card in this day and age when you slow things down and you put the point of contact. John Lundstram's foot is planted against Alistair Johnston's leg. What I would say is that had VAR (not) been there nobody is moaning that's not a red card. It was a yellow card, there is no doubt about it. I understand why it's a red. When you see it in real time, yeah it's fast but in football you need to be. It's a yellow card for me, VAR intervenes and when he slows that down it's always going to a red card when he's called over. Had there not been VAR, nobody would've asked for that to be a red card."
Chris Sutton: "That's a red card in the 1970s, Kenny."
James McFadden: "You need VAR to see the point of contact. I know you're saying about slowing it down. But when you see it at full pace, he catches him above the ankle. He's out of control, he's endangering an opponent."
KM: "He's not out of control. He's running fast to get to a ball. You need to run fast."
JM: "He slides."
KM: "He's allowed to slide."
JM: "He's allowed to slide but he's not allowed to put his studs above his ankle."
KM: "Yeah but that's not out of control."
JM: "So he meant it then?"
KM: "What, he meant to kick Alistair Johnston? Absolutely not. He meant to go and win the ball. Alistair Johnston plants his foot. This day and age, with VAR, slowed down, that's a red card. I get it. But for me if VARs not there nobody's moaning that's not a red card."
CS: "The heat is getting to Kenny."
Neil Lennon: "Yeah but VAR is here. And he's cost them. They got back into the game. It's reckless and yu know it's a fine line in these games. I understand what he's trying to do, he's going to leave one on him and I get that because myself and Chris have done that over the years. But he's got it wrong, he's high and he could have done a lot more damage to Johnston. And it's the correct call, whether you like or not. We've got VAR now and that's to stamp out these tackles. When I first saw it I thought 'oh yeah that's good, he's left a marker.' But when you see it again in slow motion the referee has got no option but to send him off."
KM: "And I've said I agree with that but I don't like the rule, I don't like VAR, I don't like the way it slows down."
JM: "I think if VAR's not there you're saying 'you need VAR to get that correct.'"
KM: "We're trying to eradicate contact because see now? Every contact needs to be a yellow or it needs to be a red."
CS: "That was ridiculous tackle. Lundstram out of control, reckless."
Kris Boyd: "Kenny I would love to stick up for you but I just think if it's one of your teammates you would have been unhappy. You get yourself back in it, get back into half-time, make a couple of tactical substitutions."
JM: "I could see the argument if he gets the ball and the man. But he doesn't get any of the ball, he just goes through his ankle."