Mark Clattenburg has given his verdict on the Celtic penalty against Livingston that left manager David Martindale furious.
The Livingston boss was incensed after Celtic were awarded a spot kick that allowed them to move 3-2 ahead at a crucial point in the match. During a chaotic 10-minute spell, Celtic came from behind twice to secure a 4-2 victory, with the penalty proving pivotal when the score was level at 2-2.
Following a lengthy VAR review, referee Matthew MacDairmid pointed to the spot and Arne Engels converted confidently to put Celtic in front. However, when former FIFA and Premier League referee Mark Clattenburg was asked for his view on the decision, his response was one that may surprise many Celtic supporters.
Clattenburg argued that the incident should not have resulted in a penalty, claiming the foul was actually committed by Daizen Maeda. While similar handball decisions have gone against Celtic in the Scottish Premiership this season, Clattenburg believes this incident should not be judged purely on consistency.
He explained that, viewed in isolation, awarding a penalty would have been extremely harsh, adding that the lack of clarity around handball decisions is a major source of frustration within Scottish football. Clattenburg pointed out that some weeks these incidents are penalised, while on others they are ignored.
For comparison, Clattenburg referenced a similar situation involving Celtic defender Liam Scales against Hibernian earlier in the season. Speaking back in November, he described that VAR decision as “extremely harsh”, highlighting once again the controversial nature of handball rulings.
Clattenburg has remained consistent in his criticism of how handball incidents are officiated in Scotland, and his comments suggest that Willie Collum may face difficult questions when explaining the decision to award Celtic a penalty against Livingston if he shares the same view.
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