COLLUM FOULED UP, SAYS GERRARD

STEVEN GERRARD accused Willie Collum of missing a ‘blatant foul’ in the build-up to the only goal in Rangers’ 1-0 defeat at Celtic Park yesterday. He called fourth official John Beaton as a witness, claiming that he was screaming at his fellow FIFA referee to award a free-kick to the Ibrox side. Gerrard, who conceded Allan McGregor should have been sent off for an earlier kick at Kristoffer Ajer, believed Ryan Jack was taken out by Tom Rogic at the start of a sweeping box-to-box move which resulted in Olivier Ntcham scoring the winner. The former England and Liverpool captain said: ‘For me it’s a foul — and it’s also one for the fourth official, who is shouting down his mic: “Foul, foul, foul!” ‘The ref ignored that advice but it’s a blatant foul, he sweeps his legs. Jacko has done well to get himself

between man and ball and I think it’s a clear foul. ‘He (the referee) disagreed — he didn’t think it was a foul. He hadn’t seen it again but, when he does, I think he will change his mind. ‘For me, it’s a blatant foul. I’ve seen it again five times.’ Gerrard, who waited to ask Collum about the incident (below) at full-time, said he would expect a referee to act on the advice of his fourth official, and asked: ‘Well, why are they there? ‘Say, for example, we’re talking about a red-card incident for them or for us. ‘If the fourth official is saying: “It’s a red, it’s a red” I think he’d come over, speak to him and take the advice. ‘Now, if he did and we were in the wrong, if one of my men got sent off, I’d look at it and say it’s a red card. But he hasn’t come over to chat about it. ‘He (Beaton) has shouted. Look back at the cameras, you’ll see it tonight, he’s shouting: “Foul, foul, foul!” ‘A few minutes later, there’s another foul on us, the fourth official is shouting: “Foul, foul, foul!” And we don’t get that one either. ‘After the incident, they’ve gone on a counter-attack and scored a good goal. ‘If there was no foul, I would hold my hand up and say we got cut up by a good team, congratulations. ‘Surely you can understand my frustrations when it’s a clear foul. ‘I won’t see that referee now. I’ve spoken to him. We’ve had a decent chat, I’ve said my piece. Hopefully the next time I see him and we have a chat about it, he understands that he’s made a mistake.’ Gerrard, who questioned the actions of match officials towards Rangers after their game against Aberdeen, told Rangers TV: ‘The frustrating thing is we’ve been done, I feel, by a refereeing decision. ‘For me, it was a blatant foul and if we get it we may come away with a point which, given where we’ve come from, would have been a satisfactory result.’ Admitting Collum should have shown red to McGregor, Gerrard said: ‘He’s lashed out. Of course I will speak to him about it. I’m honest, I’ll tell you what I see. If something’s blatant, it’s blatant.’ Gerrard confirmed Rangers hope to sign veteran free agent defender Gareth McAuley, currently on international duty with Northern Ireland, before the domestic season starts again. Elsewhere, Alfredo Morelos signed a new deal with Rangers over the weekend, in a move first revealed by Sportsmail.

The striker, who joined Rangers from HJK last summer on a three-year deal, has extended his stay at Ibrox until 2022. Gerrard told the club website: ‘Alfredo is a vital part of what we are trying to create and although he has attracted attention from other clubs it is important we hold on to him.’