Controversial Penalty Decision Mars Old Firm Derby: Chris Sutton Blasts Fabio Silva for Dive

Former Celtic player and Sky Sports commentator Chris Sutton expressed outrage following a contentious penalty decision during the Old Firm derby between Rangers and Celtic at Ibrox.

The match saw an early lead for Celtic through Daizen Maeda, followed by an equalizing penalty by Matt O’Riley. The turning point came when Rangers’ Fabio Silva, on loan from a club, was at the center of a controversial decision.

Silva was initially booked for diving after a challenge from Alistair Johnston, but VAR prompted a penalty review, which led to James Tavernier converting from the spot.

Sutton, known for his strong opinions, vehemently criticized Silva’s actions, calling it ’embarrassing’ and ‘blatant cheating’ for what he perceived as a dive.

There was further drama as Rangers celebrated what seemed like an equalizer by Cyriel Dessers, only to have it disallowed due to a foul committed by Tom Lawrence on Reo Hatate leading up to the goal.

Rangers manager Philippe Clement‘s disbelief at the decisions reflected the intensity of the derby, which plays a crucial role in the Scottish Premier League title race, with both teams separated by just one point.