'Silly challenge' 'Red card all day long': Pundits slam Aberdeen striker tackle on Rangers defender

Curtis Main was substituted for Aberdeen before half-time as ten-men Aberdeen boss Derek McInnes re-shuffled their pack following Ryan Hedges’ red card.

Aberdeen's Curtis Main is yellow carded for a foul on Rangers' Borna Barisic during a Scottish Premiership match between Aberdeen and Rangers at Pittodrie, on January 10, 2021, in Aberdeen, Scotland. (Photo by Craig Williamson / SNS Group)

But pundits watching the match, which Rangers led 1-0 through Alfredo Morelos, believe the Dons could have been down to nine-men and Curtis Main was fortunate to doge a red card himself for a high challenge on Borna Barisic.

Only Billy Dodds, watching the game in the BBC studio and Sky’s Dylan McGeouch backed the yellow card call with pundits on TV and radio reckoning the striker should have seen red.

Sky Sports co-commentator Ally McCoist blasted: “It’s a silly challenge, you’re down to ten men. It could’ve been red.

Neil McCann believed the pace contributed to the challenge

“I’ll go a step further and that is a red. Why are you putting yourself into a challenge like that when the best you’re going to get is a throw in?"

Kris Boyd: "In terms of endangering your opponent, he’s definitely doing that. Barisic has been clever and jumped out the road but Curtis Main’s lucky he’s not in an early bath as well.”

Neil McCann on BBC Sportsound: “He gets the ball but it’s so so dangerous the speed he’s going at.

"That could’ve been a horrible challenge – it is and it could have been a horrible injury."

Many believed Curtis Main was fortunate to avoid a red card before the striker was substituted (Photo by Craig Williamson / SNS Group)

Willie Miller added : “Although he gets a bit of the ball, you get the man too. I think that’s reckless. I think it’s a big call for a red card, I do.

Billy Dodds: “It looks worse than it is. He does rake his studs down the shin, Borna Barisic pulls his leg away. He’s asking the question of the referee. When it happens at pace you’re thinking there's a chance but I’m not sure it’s a red.”

Main’s Aberdeen team-mate Dylan McGeouch, summarising on Sky, added: “There’s minimal contact but he is showing his studs. I think it’s a booking."

Ryan Hedges had earlier been sent off for a foul in the penalty area on Morelos which gave James Tavernier a penalty attempt, but the Rangers captain struck his 10th spot-kick of the season wide – his first miss of the campaign.

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