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The National (Scotland)
The National (Scotland)
Sport
Ewan Paton

I think Callum McGregor dodged a bullet at Rangers game, says ex-player

Celtic captain Callum McGregor was lucky to have avoided a potential red card tightrope against Rangers on Saturday. 

That's the view of former Ibrox striker Kenny Miller.

The pundit insists the Hoops skipper was fortunate to have only picked up one booking in the powderkeg derby clash, as he said CalMac "dodged a bullet".

The Scotland international was eventually shown a yellow card by referee Kevin Clancy in the game, along with three other Celtic players.

However, speaking on Open Goal, Miller pointed out that the 29-year-old had actually already committed a cynical foul which he feels should've been a bookable offence earlier in the match.

The ex-forward explained: “There’s something that’s not on here (the show's schedule). Callum McGregor dodged a bullet early.

“On the counter-attack when he brought Cantwell down he didn’t get booked. He wasn't booked at that time. It happened in the middle of the pitch when Cantwell skipped past him. That’s a booking because he stopped the counter.

“I think because you’ve got the armband on and it’s early, you get away with it.”

Neither Si Ferry, Derek Ferguson nor Kevin Kyle added to Miller's point. 

They moved on to discuss Malik Tillman and whether Rangers should fork out £5million for him.

Ferguson commented: “If they cut out the mistakes and take their big moments in the game. Morelos again had another big opportunity. Tillman as well.

“There’s a lot of questions to be answered with Tillman, though. He’s a good player. But it’s in the big moments, in the big games that you’ve got to deliver.

“Until he does it in the big games, like this semi-final, the jury’s still out on him.

“Players like him always want to be on the ball, but they’ve got to do the other side of the game too."

Miller added: “I think it’s undecided right now (whether Rangers should pay £5million for him). I said at 2.20pm on Saturday let’s see how he goes and impacts this game.

“The first derby he was off at half-time. This one he was off after an hour. If you’re spending £5million on a player they need to be impacting these games.

“He might. He could do so between now and the end of the season and I thought he did alright at the weekend. He worked very hard, which I think has been thrown against him a few times.

“He had a specific role in how Rangers played defensively. When they got on the ball, he looked quite lively.

“I think Kent could’ve done better in certain moments of the game. Alfredo had his chance. Cantwell had another decent game. Could he have done more with the ball? Probably.”

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