'The officials need help' - Rangers boss Steven Gerrard laments Celtic's offside goal but refuses to back VAR for Scottish football

Stephen Gerrard lamented Celtic's offside goal and suggested officials need help - but stopped short of backing VAR in Scottish football

Christopher Jullien was one of three Celtic players in an offside position, along with Kristoffer Ajer and Odsonne Edouard, when he slotted home from a Ryan Christie free-kick.

Television pictures clearly showed the goal should not have stood but assistant referee David Roome did not spot the offence.

• READ MORE - Celtic player ratings from Betfred Cup finalIt compounded an agonising afternoon for Gerrard whose team dominated for long periods but could not find a way past Celtic goalkeeper Fraser Forster, even when the Scottish champions were reduced to 10 men for the last half hour when Jeremie Frimpong was sent off for conceding a penalty which Alfredo Morelos saw saved by Forster.

• READ MORE - Rangers 0-1 Celtic: Jullien goal seals Betfred Cup win for ten-man Hoops as Forster shinesGerrard has not been wholly impressed by the impact of VAR in the English Premier League this season but does feel standards of officiating in Scotland need to be enhanced.

“I think VAR has taken something away from the game, so I’d be a liar if I said I’m 100 percent in favour of it,” said Gerrard.

“But one thing I do know is that the officials up here do need some support and help. Because there are too many things, not just for our club but across the board, that they maybe miss and need a bit of support on.

'The big moments have gone against us'

“Yes (the linesman should have seen it). Look, I’m not going to sit here and make excuses. I’m not the type of person who blames or look for excuses.

“The big moments have gone against us today, we are all responsible for that. But the reality is, at the top end of football, you expect the linesman to get one of them right from the three who were in an offside position.

• READ MORE - Rangers player ratings from Betfred Cup final“I thought we were outstanding in terms of our performance. Everything we asked of the players today, in terms of how we approach it and what we wanted from them, to a man I can’t be much prouder of them.

“But finals are normally decided on big moments and the big moments haven’t gone in our favour today.

“We conceded from a set piece which we shouldn’t have given away, there was no panic. Once you concede it, you have to defend it better.

“There were three Celtic players standing in offside positions but unfortunately we play in a country where there is no VAR.

Major challenge to lift side ahead of crunch Europa League match

“We still have to defend it better but, that aside, we were outstanding. We created all the best chances. I don’t know what the other stats were but they are not important. I can’t ask any more of my players in terms of what they gave me today.”

Gerrard faces a major challenge to lift his crestfallen squad ahead of Thursday night’s decisive Europa League group stage match against Swiss champions Young Boys at Ibrox.

“I’ve got a big job to pick them all up because, as you can imagine, this is a tough one to take. It’s a raw one right now but this is football at the top. That’s why this is such a big job. We’ll suffer and then we’ll bounce back.”