![\"Matthew](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/0_Livingston-v-Celtic-William-Hill-Scottish-Premiership-Football-The-Home-of-the-Set-Fare-Arena-Li.j.jpeg\")
Matthew MacDermid checks the monitor after being called over by Nick Walsh(Image: Bruce White\/Shutterstock)<\/p>\nA former Grade 1 ref has spoken out on the fury and told Walsh to butt out in futureMatthew MacDermid checks the monitor after being called over by Nick Walsh(Image: Bruce White\/Shutterstock)<\/p>\n
A former top FIFA referee is calling for the handball rule to be changed after Celtic<\/a>‘s penalty award against Livingston \u2013 and reckons VAR ‘ignored’ Daizen Maeda’s push just before it.<\/p>\n The Hoops picked up their second straight win over Wilfried Nancy<\/a> with a bonkers 4-2 victory in West Lothian last night, twice coming from behind to take all three points<\/a>. It was 2-2 after just 10 minutes but the champions took control from there, Benjamin Nygren putting them in front before Arne Engels’ penalty effectively sealed it.<\/p>\n The spot-kick award came after the ball struck Daniel Finlayson’s arm in the box, and was only given after VAR Nick Walsh called whistler Matthew MacDermid to the monitor for a review.<\/p>\n Livingston boss David Martindale was adamant his side wouldn’t have got it were the shoe on the other foot<\/a> \u2013 and believed his player was pushed by Daizen Maeda in the build-up.<\/p>\n And now former Grade 1 ref and PGMOL chief Keith Hackett believes it’s evidence the rule has to be changed. He even reckons the push was ‘ignored’ by Walsh \u2013 who shouldn’t have intervened.<\/p>\n He told Football Insider<\/a>: “The player\u2019s arm is extended from the body when it strikes. These handballs are, of course, subjective and look far worse in slow motion.<\/p>\n “It appears that the nudge did impact the Livingston player, but that has been ignored by the officials. The law needs to be changed.<\/p>\n “Once the VAR calls the referee to the monitor, they are going to be given. Frankly, this is the wrong call and the VAR should have stayed out of the decision-making process.<\/p>\n “I do not consider this to be a deliberate handball offence.”<\/p>\n Follow Record Sport on Twitter<\/a>, Facebook<\/a> and Instagram<\/a> for all of the up-to-the minute breaking news, video and audio on the SPFL, the Scotland national team and beyond.<\/p>\n You can get all the news you need on our dedicated Rangers<\/a> and Celtic<\/a> pages, and sign up to our newsletters<\/a> to make sure you never miss a beat throughout the season.<\/p>\n We’re also on WhatsApp where we bring all the latest breaking news and transfer gossip directly to you phone. Join our Rangers community here<\/a> and our Celtic community here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Tune in to Hotline Live<\/a> every Sunday to Thursday and have your say on the biggest issues in Scottish football and listen to Record Sport’s newest podcast, Game On<\/a>, every Friday for your sporting fix, all in bitesize chunks.<\/p>\n