Des Roache and Dermot Gallagher have gone in hard on the failure to send off Alistair Johnston

21:35, 11 May 2026Updated 22:31, 11 May 2026

GLASGOW, SCOTLAND – MAY 10: Celtics Alistair Johnston makes a challenge on Rangers Mikey Moore which leads to a yellow card during a William Hill Premiership match between Celtic and Rangers at Celtic Park, on May 10, 2026, in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Craig Williamson / SNS Group)

Des Roache says VAR is guilty of ‘negligence’ for not flagging Alistair Johnston’s controversial tackle to Nick Walsh.

The Celtic right back won the ball in a challenge on the on-loan Rangers star with the score locked at 1-1.

However, replays showed the Canadian caught Moore high on the ankle with his studs, which were shown on Sky Sports during half-time.

Nick Walsh’s on-field decision was a yellow and Johnston escaped with that after VAR John Beaton elected not to call the whistler over.

On Sky Sports’ Ref Watch earlier today, Dermot Gallagher claimed the angle being widely used as evidence it should have been a red card wasn’t available to the officials.

Speaking on the latest episode of Hotline LIVE, Roache said: “Nick Walsh maybe didn’t have the best view on it, maybe he was a bit too square to it.

“But if Sky camera are getting that image, then VAR are getting that image and John Beaton and Chris Graham, who are the two VAR officials, have let Nick Walsh down vastly there.

“They should be penalised. If it was anybody else and not certain referees, they should be taken off duties for a couple of games.

“Play should never have restarted. If that camera view is available to Sky, why are our VAR guys not having it?

“And if they’ve looked at it and have not picked that up, that can only be complete and utter negligence.

“I understand it’s the modern day game and before it would have been seen as a good, robust challenge. I thought that as well.

“But when you see that other view? Red card. And if it’s not been picked up then that’s negligence.”

Speaking on Sky Sports, Dermot Gallagher even suggested the most damning angle wasn’t made available to Walsh and the VAR room – although we’ve since learned all the angles were shown at the time.

He said: “Seriously, when you look at this it’s a red card all day. But the first angle, I didn’t think it was a red card.

“What I will say in the referee and VAR’s defence, that clip became available at half-time. It was never ever available during the game. So it is impossible to recommend a review, which it definitely would have and it definitely would have been a red card. But it is too late, at half-time the game has already restarted.

“I was watching the game, and that was not shown as a replay at the time. The first time anybody saw that (angle of the foul) was at half-time, including the pundits. So suddenly at half-time they’re saying ‘wow’.

“The first time they would have saw that clip was at half-time. If they don’t show it to him, he can’t act on it, can he? It’s 100 per cent a red card. He gets a touch on the ball, I don’t think there’s any intention to hurt him, but he’s just got the tackle wrong.”