Chris Sutton Criticises Derek McInnes and Dismisses Rangers’ Penalty Appeal After Dundee United Draw
The fallout from Rangers’ dramatic 1-1 draw with Dundee United has continued to dominate Scottish football, with former Celtic striker and outspoken pundit Chris Sutton delivering yet another brutally honest verdict that has sparked fierce debate among supporters.
The biggest talking point from the match wasn’t Rangers’ equaliser or Derek McInnes’ first Premiership game in charge—it was a late penalty appeal that had the visiting players and coaching staff demanding a spot-kick after an apparent coming together inside the Dundee United penalty area.
Rangers players surrounded the referee immediately, while Derek McInnes could be seen passionately protesting from the technical area, convinced his side had been denied a golden opportunity to leave Tannadice with all three points.
But Sutton was having none of it.
Speaking during his post-match analysis, the former Scotland international dismissed the appeal and criticised the Rangers boss for the intensity of his reaction.
«”Derek was too aggressive. He should have just calmed down,” Sutton said.»
The pundit went even further when discussing the incident, insisting that awarding a penalty would have been the wrong decision.
«”I would definitely stop watching football if that penalty was given to Rangers.”»
The comments immediately exploded across social media, with fans split into two camps.
Many Celtic supporters praised Sutton for saying what they believed neutral viewers were thinking, arguing the contact simply wasn’t enough to justify a penalty and that modern football already suffers from too many soft decisions.
Others, particularly Rangers fans, accused Sutton of allowing his long-standing rivalry with the Ibrox club to influence his judgement. Many insisted their player had been clearly impeded and claimed similar incidents have resulted in penalties elsewhere.
The controversy has overshadowed what was otherwise a mixed afternoon for Rangers.
After falling behind in the first half, the visitors showed resilience to fight back through an excellent equaliser from summer signing Thelo Aasgaard. The Norwegian midfielder impressed on his competitive league debut, giving supporters optimism despite the disappointing result.
However, Rangers were unable to find a winner, leaving Derek McInnes still searching for his first Premiership victory as manager.
Following the final whistle, McInnes admitted his frustration with several refereeing decisions but stopped short of directly criticising the officials, instead choosing to focus on his team’s performance and the need to become more clinical in front of goal.
That hasn’t stopped the debate from raging.
Former referees, television analysts and supporters have all weighed in on the incident, with slow-motion replays doing little to settle the argument. Some believe there was minimal contact initiated by both players, while others insist the defender did enough to prevent the Rangers attacker from reaching the ball.
For Sutton, though, there was no grey area.
His strong statement has once again ensured he remains one of Scottish football’s most talked-about pundits, with his comments likely to dominate headlines throughout the weekend.
Whether supporters agree or disagree, one thing is certain: the penalty appeal—and Sutton’s explosive response—has become the defining moment of Rangers’ opening league fixture, ensuring the controversy will be remembered long after the final whistle.
