CELTIC manager Ronny Deila called for consistency on the treatment of divers after Dundee United's Aidan Connolly went down in the box to get a penalty in a turbulent Scottish Cup tie at Tannadice.

SFA compliance officer Tony McGlennan could be all over the 1-1 quarter final, with United's Paul Paton wrongly sent off while team-mates Calum Butcher and Nadir Ciftci, and Celtic captain Scott Brown, could all be issued with notices of complaint for violent conduct.

Paton and Virgil van Dijk were shown red cards as the game erupted in the tenth minute, but Paton was an obvious victim of mistaken identity. Brown made a crude tackle on Ciftci, who then kicked him in the face. A moment later Butcher lunged in on van Dijk, who then lashed out with his boot.

As it stands, van Dijk and Paton will be suspended when the teams meet again in the League Cup final on Sunday, although United will appeal and Paton's card should be rescinded. Ciftci, Butcher and Brown all face a sweat to see if retrospective action will be taken against them. Paul Dixon was sent off for a separate handball in the second half, meaning the game finished with Celtic on ten men and United nine.

But Deila was more animated about the Connolly dive, which allowed Ciftci to score United's opening goal from a penalty before Leigh Griffiths's equaliser. Deila recalled Derk Boerrigter being suspended for two games for diving in August and said he could not recall another SPFL Premiership player being punished. In fact, Brian Graham of St Johnstone was given a two-game ban for diving in December.

"It is a dive and hopefully it will be the same rules for everybody. We are the only team this season in the league to have a suspension for diving, Derk Boerrigter, and I said at the time that it was no problem because that is the line that will be taken by everyone. I don't think anybody has had it since then. The Scottish players have been unbelievably good. They've not dived. But if they do, it should be the same rules."

When asked if it was Connolly or referee Craig Thomson who was at fault, Deila said: "It's both. I accept that people make mistakes but if we have a rule where people look at things afterwards then it has to be the other way around also. I don't see anybody else getting suspensions. I can't understand that we are 'the worst' at this in the league and nobody else is doing anything. People make mistakes, no problem, but make it right afterwards."

Of the van Dijk and Paton red cards, he said: "I have looked at some pictures in the dressing room but it is hard to see what happened. Hopefully everybody can play in the next game." After the game the cup semi-final draw paired United or Celtic against Caley Thistle or Raith Rovers, with Hibs and Falkirk meeting in the other semi-final, with those games on April 18 and 19. The Tannadice result meant United and Celtic will meet in four consecutive games: yesterday's tie, the League Cup final, the cup replay on March 18, and in the Premiership three days later. Deila, who criticised the Tannadice pitch, said: "I'm not worried about problems because the players are facing each other four times in a row. That's why we love football. There is going to be a high temperature. It is fantastic. We are fighting for big things, trophies, and we have to keep our discipline. We should have won it in the end. We had chances to do it, but I am happy."

Manager Jackie McNamara defended Connolly. "I don't think he dived. I think he [Anthony Stokes] has caught him although he hasn't caught him on the leg. If it had been outside the box would it have been a free kick? Yes. It was inside the box and it might have been soft but it was a penalty."

McNamara said United would appeal the Paton red card and then blamed referee Thomson for not punishing Brown for the original tackle which ignited the trouble. "I think the referee should have dealt with the original challenge. I thought it was a bad challenge which sparked the whole thing off, which went unnoticed. I thought it was a two-footed challenge off the deck, it was a bad one.

"What happened today should not impact on next week. It is a chance for silverware and the chance for the lads to create a bit of history. But to be honest, taking away that side of things today, we should be talking about the football rather than the ugly scenes. For me the officials should have dealt with it first and we would not have had the problems today. "

Meanwhile, the SPFL face a major fixture problem if Hibs or Falkirk reach the Scottish Cup final and also the final of the play-offs. The two legs of the play-offs are on Thursday May 28 and Sunday May 31, with the Scottish Cup final in between them on Saturday 30th. The cup final would not be moved but both of the play-off legs would have to be changed.