Chris Sutton has torn Alfredo Morelos to shreds for diving in Rangers’ 1-1 draw with Aberdeen at Pittodrie on Sunday.
Kevin Clancy booked the Colombia international for going down in the Dons box after tussling for the ball with Andrew Considine.
It was a clear dive by Morelos, and ex-Celtic star Sutton blasted the centre-forward at half-time.
“It’s just stupidity,” said Sutton on Premier Sports 1 on Sunday [02:24pm]. “If you’re going to go down, go down at the right time when there was the slightest contact, but then he waits and thinks ‘oh, I better dive now’.
“It was the correct decision from Kevin Clancy and once again, Alfredo Morelos has put himself under pressure. Good refereeing.
Morelos had a bit of a coming together with Considine later on in the first-half and appeared to have a little kick-out at the Dons player.
Sutton added: “If there were yellow cards for stupidity, there it is. He’s a lucky boy to stay on the field.
“Is it much? No. Is it petulant? Yes. Have we seen him do it numerous times this season? Absolutely yes.”
OPINION
You can guarantee that Steven Gerrard and senior players in the Rangers dressing room would have had words with Morelos for his conduct against Aberdeen, but in the first 45 minutes at Pittodrie, the Colombian could have been sent off. It was a ridiculous dive by the ex-HJK Helsinki forward and Clancy was bang on when he booked him for trying to cheat a penalty. Morelos then had a little kick out at Considine and that could easily have been a second yellow card if Clancy clocked it. It was soft and there was not really much in it, but Morelos is constantly putting himself in situations where he gives referees a decision to make, especially against Aberdeen. The goal machine has been linked with a move away from Ibrox for quite some time now and if there’s one thing that makes Gerrard decide to cash in on him, it will surely be his lack of discipline in big games.