CHARLIE Mulgrew has admitted he grabbed Alfredo Morelos as the Rangers striker bore down on the Dundee United goal at Tannadice on Saturday – but denied he should have been sent off. 

Centre half Mulgrew was booked for his blatant foul on Morelos just outside the United penalty area four minutes before half-time in the cinch Premiership match on Tayside. 

However, the Colombian forward and his team mates were convinced the former Aberdeen, Celtic, Blackburn Rovers and Scotland man deserved to have been red carded by referee Don Robertson.

The match official’s gestures to the protesting players suggested that he thought Ryan Edwards was covering and that Mulgrew had not prevented a clear attempt on goal and the defender agreed.  

“I did grab him, but we were outside the box and there were people covering round,” he said. “It’s part of the game. I didn’t think it was a sending-off. Ryan was behind me wasn’t he?”

Mulgrew and Morelos, who made his first appearance of the 2021/22 campaign on Tayside, were seen exchanging words both during the match and after the incident. 

“We had a wee bit at the start of the game but that’s not my game,” said the United player. “I just said to him that somebody was behind and that was it. It was fine.”

The 35-year-old felt that Tam Courts’ team dealt with the threat Steven Gerrard’s side, who had not lost in the league in 16 months and 40 games, posed well throughout the 90 minutes and can take confidence from their display going forward.

“We were under the cosh,” he said. “But it’s good. It’s enjoyable. We worked on cross balls because we knew they crossed a lot of balls. It was important we defended them.

“I got a wee grass burn on my nose at the end. I don’t know why I headed it when the ball was running along the deck. When I had it in my mind I was heading it, there was no stopping me. Thankfully, it rolled to Benj (United keeper Siegrist) and that’s the wee bit of luck you get. 

“But it’s important we take this forward. We should take confidence from the way we played. We showed a real desire in the first 10 to 15 minutes and that’s how we need to start games. Then we take it from there.

“There will be ups and downs throughout the season, but we need to bring that every game. We are not getting carried away. It’s three points.”