IT was one of the quotes of last year’s Celtic AGM.
Hoops chief executive Michael Nicholson was quizzed from the floor about what should happen if a “referee and VAR misses a key decision?”
Celtic’s Yang Hyun-jun saw red for this challenge on Alex Cochrane[/caption]
Michael Nicholson couldn’t resist a ‘Penalty Rangers’ joke at the AGM[/caption]
Quick as a flash he responded: “Penalty Rangers!”
This isn’t an exact science, of course: many factors which govern how many penalties any team are likely to concede – or be awarded.
For instance, there’s the small matter of how often the ball is in a team’s box, not to mention the diligence and discipline of the defending side.
But 12 months on, we thought it was worth revisiting how these two Glasgow rivals have fared when it comes to penalties since Nicholson made the quip.
And the news is that it’s actually the Parkhead side who have been given more penalties and conceded fewer.
Using Premiership data only, from November 22 last year – when Nicholson cracked the joke – Celtic have been given 12 penalties while Rangers have been awarded 10.
Celtic have been given two spot kicks in the current campaign while Rangers are one of just two Premiership sides who still haven’t been awarded one.
Arne Engels converted both of the Hoops penalties, one against Hearts and one against Dundee, both of which were given at Celtic Park and supported by VAR and the SFA’s KMI panel.
As for penalties conceded since Nicholson’s comments, the Hoops have conceded THREE and Rangers have conceded FIVE.
Celtic conceded two in the remainder of last season – one converted by Hearts‘ Jorge Grant in a 2-0 defeat at Tynecastle in March and another steered in by James Tavernier at Ibrox in the 3-3 Old Firm draw in April.
The only penalty they have conceded this season was away to Ross County for a handball against Liam Scales – with Ronan Hale firing in from the spot after Kasper Schmeichel moving off his line caused the kick to be retaken.
Included in Rangers’ five since Nicholson’s comments were three last season: one in the same 3-3 Old Firm game to Matt O’Riley for Connor Goldson‘s handball, and two converted by Kilmarnock‘s Danny Armstrong.
They’ve conceded two league spot kicks this season, even though the efforts of both Jamie McGrath of Aberdeen and Mykola Kucharevich of Hibs were SAVED by Jack Butland.
As for red cards, Celtic have had just ONE red card since Nicholson’s comments – and none this season – while Celtic have had FIVE.
Celtic are one of just three Premiership teams who haven’t had a player sent off this season.
In fact, they haven’t had a red card in a league match since Yang was dismissed by Don Robertson at Tynecastle in March, a match after which Brendan Rodgers said VAR official John Beaton was “probably seeing something different to everyone else”.
The Hoops ultimately failed in their appeal against the Yang red card, but Rodgers did see his initially two-match ban for his comments reduced to one.
That was one of just two league dismissals for the Hoops last year, with the other coming for Joe Hart at Livingston back in September.
The independent VAR review panel ruled this week that Reo Hatate should have walked for a foul on Kilmarnock‘s Liam Donnelly which both referee and VAR thought a yellow was sufficient.
In contrast, Rangers have now seen FIVE players dismissed in league matches since Nicholson’s comments in late November ’23.
Jose Cifuentes saw red in a 3-1 win over Dundee in early December lat year, and Dujon Sterling saw red in a meeting with Aberdeen in February.
Leon Balogun in December ’23 and John Lundstram in April ’24 both saw red in league Premiership clashes at Celtic Park.
As for this season, Rangers have also had Ianis Hagi dismissed in a league clash against St Johnstone.
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