Philippe Clement: ‘Common logic’ dictated Rangers would win appeal

Philippe Clement insists “common logic” dictated that Rangers would win their appeal against Mohamed Diomande’s red card in their 3-1 William Hill Premiership win over Dundee United.

The Ivorian midfielder was sent off in stoppage time after swinging his hand in the direction of Kevin Holt after being pushed by the Terrors defender.

Referee Nick Walsh stuck with his initial decision despite being asked by VAR Don Robertson to have a look on the pitchside monitor.

Diomande was cleared by a disciplinary panel on Tuesday and Rangers boss Clement, ahead of the final Europa League league phase match against Union Saint-Gilloise at Ibrox on Thursday night, said: “I don’t know if it’s successful. I think it’s just common logic.

“And it was common logic for everybody after the game. You guys also (media) were directly convinced about that.

“So it’s a normal thing. It’s good that there is a good system that you can appeal.

“It’s good also that VAR did their job during the game, and they were clear that it was not red cards.

“So it’s good that the system works.

“Of course, it’s a big difference, when it’s the last two minutes of the game and this happens and it doesn’t have any influence on the result.

“It would have been totally different if this would have happened in the first half, and you need to play a long time with 10 players, because then it impacts the game.

“But that was not the case. So I think everybody’s happy about that.

“I don’t think there needs to be much more communication.

“So everybody made clear that it was not a red card and there was a mistake made, and we continue now. So that’s finished.”

Rangers are guaranteed a spot in the Europa League knockout play-off after picking up 11 points from seven games.

However, they can still finish in the top eight and avoid a play-off if they win at Ibrox and some other results go their way.

John Souttar and Vaclav Cerny were spotted training after recovering from respective injuries but Clement would not reveal his team news in case it gave the Belgian club an advantage, albeit Clinton Nsiala, Ianis Hagi and Danilo are not in the European squad.

The Belgian boss said: “It’s a decisive game, the last game in this phase.

“So I don’t want to give my Belgian friends all the tools they need to work. I know they will not give me all the tools.

“You guys saw in the training that some guys were back and some guys were doing individual work and the rest we will see tomorrow.

“We’re going to focus on ourselves to go for the three points. That’s always what we try to do.”

Reports claim Chelsea are keeping tabs on Brazilian left-back Jefte, the 21-year-old who signed from Fluminense in the summer, but Clement claimed Ibrox is “100 per cent” the best place for the player to continue his development.

The former Genk, Club Brugge and Monaco boss, stating that he was speaking hypothetically, said: “I know those kind of clubs. I had some players going there, or similar clubs.

“If he makes a normal evolution, what he’s been doing now, I think one day he will be ready for that.

“But for the moment, it’s too early. And I think this is a really good place for him to develop.

“So he’s totally not busy with all these rumours, totally not.”