Marvin Bartley has decisively refuted Stuart Kettlewell’s assertion that the red card shown to Motherwell’s Liam Gordon against Celtic was unjustly harsh. Following a challenging match that saw Celtic secure a comfortable victory with goals from Luke McCowan, Alistair Johnston, and Adam Idah, the day took a further downturn for Motherwell when Gordon’s tackle on Idah was reviewed by VAR and elevated to a red card after an initial yellow card was issued.
Despite Kettlewell’s firm belief that a yellow card would have sufficed for the challenge, stating that he did not perceive any intent to harm the Celtic player, Bartley held a contrasting viewpoint. He pointed out that a closer examination of the tackle from various angles would shed light on why the referee deemed the red card necessary.
“It’s a terrible tackle,” Bartley expressed, emphasizing the perilous nature of Gordon’s actions. He firmly asserted that an appeal would likely prove ineffective and unwarranted, deeming it a futile exercise that would only result in a waste of valuable resources for Motherwell. Bartley’s stance on the matter appeared resolute and unwavering, contrasting with Kettlewell’s initial reaction to the red card incident.
