GERY LUCKY
Michael Stewart gives Rangers penalty verdict and says it’s ‘surprising’ St Mirren weren’t awarded spot-kick
The pundit also revealed the Gers star he feels Philippe Clement MUST fit into the starting XI
RANGERS battled to a 2-1 win over St Mirren at Ibrox on Sunday to stay within six points of Premiership leaders Celtic and Aberdeen.
But Michael Stewart revealed on Sportscene that he felt the Buddies should have had a penalty mere minutes before Vaclav Cerny struck the winner for Gers.
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Host Jonathan Sutherland and pundit Marvin Bartley discussed a potential red card for Connor Barron, but quickly agreed that there wasn't enough in the midfielder's challenge to send him off.
But when it came to analysing St Mirren's claim for a spot-kick for a challenge from Neraysho Kasanwirjo on Toyosi Olusanya, Stewart revealed he felt Stephen Robinson's side were hard done by.
The incident in question saw Greg Kiltie burst towards the Rangers box before playing a through ball to Olusanya.
He was brought down by Nicolas Raskin as the ball made its way to the striker, who then went down with Kasanwirjo in close proximity.
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Referee Calum Scott allowed the attacking move to proceed, but instead brought it back for a St Mirren free-kick for the initial foul by Raskin, who was booked.
There was no VAR intervention with regards a potential penalty and play restarted with that free-kick.
But Stewart reckons the ref should have been pointing to the penalty spot instead.
He said: "The contact's not immediately obvious, but there's a close-up and you see that Kasanwirjo catches Olusanya when he's spinning.
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"When you're spinning like that and you're knocked off, that's a foul.
"That should have been given as a penalty kick for me, I'm surprised it wasn't given."
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Kasanwirjo was starting at right-back in place of Rangers captain James Tavernier, after boss Philippe Clement made the shock decision to leave his skipper on the bench.
Bartley praised the job that the Dutch defender did against St Mirren, but Stewart was quick to give his opinion on whether Tavernier would come back into the side for the huge midweek clash against Aberdeen - and to name another Gers star he feels must be in the team.
Stewart said: "I would be absolutely flabbergasted if Tavernier is not playing against Aberdeen, it's a monumental game for Rangers.
"The one for me with regards to right-back or somewhere else in the park, if you think back to the end of last season, [Dujon] Sterling had to be in the team.
"Yes, it's been a little bit stop-start for him this season, but I still think one of the major problems for Rangers this season is a bit of intensity and having winners in the side.
"Sterling strikes me as somebody who can be that, and I think the manager has to get his confidence back up and find somewhere in the team for him, be it right-back, be it central midfield, be it anywhere on the park, you need to get those types of characters in the team."
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