Clinton Morrison: Penalty rules should be changed after Julian Alvarez double-kick
Will Jackson 
Popular pundit Clinton Morrison has joined up with the Freebets.com team this season to discuss the biggest games and talking points each week in the EFL.
The former Crystal Palace, Birmingham and Republic of Ireland striker will be giving his views and predictions on the pick of the matches each week, as well going over some of the hot topics in the football world.
This week Clinton discusses a dramatic week of Champions League last 16 action, the EFL Cup Final between Liverpool and Newcastle, the Steel City Derby and the Old Firm Derby - both of which take place on Sunday.
Penalty Shootout Drama
Q: What a dramatic week of Champions League action we’ve just had! We’ve got to start with Atletico v Real Madrid on Wednesday night…
Real Madrid just find a way of winning with Don Carlo, they just have that X Factor don’t they? The club expects to win everything every year and they’re trying to chase Barcelona in the league, which made this a big game for them. Atletico will be gutted because I think they were the better team on the night.
That club expects to win everything every year Atletico Madrid will be gutted because I think they were the better team on the night.
Q: Have you seen the Julian Alvarez double kick one that they lost out on? Is it fair that the penalty gets ruled out straight away? When the goalkeeper is off their line it’s a retake…
It’s a hard one. There's no advantage for the other team if it's a double take. With my striker's head on, I'd love people to be able to retake it if you hit it twice like that, because you’re not intentionally doing that. You’re not trying to get an advantage, because it is a total slip. So maybe that could be looked at.
But then when the keeper comes off the line it goes against them because it has to be retaken, so maybe the taker should have something in their favour? I think Alvarez should have been able to take it again.
Q: It is a very cruel way for such a big game to be decided, just by one slip
Exactly. To decide a knockout round at this stage of the Champions League, it is a very cruel way for it to go. I get that they are the rules, but maybe they should be looked at because it is not a nice way for it to end, and the headlines end up being about that rather than the game.
Q: But it’s also classic Real Madrid, isn’t it? They just find a way to get through these kind of matches in the Champions League
Exactly that. It wasn’t the best game, the one bit of magic we saw in the whole game was Mbappe, who was sensational to get the penalty and the Atletico defence couldn't live with him. But other than that, Atletico Madrid, as soon as they scored early from Conor Gallagher, you knew what the game plan was going to be.
Sit back, defend. If we can nick a goal, we can nick a goal. But if not, we'll take it to extra time and maybe try to win on penalties. I thought they were really good, and Real Madrid were poor. It's the worst I've seen Real Madrid play in a while, but you have to realise that with Real Madrid, they always find a way.
I think how many times have you said over the last few years about them not playing to their potential, but they find a way. And that's why I still make them favourites for the Champions League, even with that poor performance.
Q: Yes they’re looking pretty ominous at this stage aren’t they? They weren’t amazing in the league phase but now they’ve beaten Manchester City and Atletico, and they have Arsenal up next which could be the tie of the round…
There are some good teams on the other side. You can't rule out Barca. Barca have been outstanding, and then Bayern Munich. Bayern have the history so they’ll be there or thereabouts but there is another team on that side that not a lot of people talk about.
Inter Milan go under the radar a bit. They'll be there or thereabouts too, no one will really want to play Inter Milan.
But with this side of the draw you have Aston Villa playing PSG and if PSG win that they could play Real Madrid, and that would be a massive game - PSG are a different team at the moment without the likes of Neymar, Mbappe and Messi.
That is a team. That's not a team full of individuals anymore. They work hard off the ball. Enrique's got them playing ever so well, no one will fancy playing PSG that's for sure.
I was gutted after Liverpool got knocked out because I wanted Liverpool to go all the way and you want the English teams to go as far as they can, but you have to credit PSG over the two legs.
PSG Enter the Chat
Q: That performance, going to Anfield and winning 1-0, doing it the hard way and really scrapping. It’s not really something you would associate with the old PSG teams is it? Does it suggest this PSG side is a bit different?
It is a very different team. Before, they had the superstars and they'd leave those three up the pitch and the others would just defend. Now everyone gets back in their shape and they defend together. The team's just packed full of youngsters who have got great desire to work hard in possession and out of possession.They've been excellent. Huge credit to Enrique.
No one, I think, gave PSG a chance but Donnarumma was outstanding and even though Liverpool probably should have won, fair play to PSG. I was gutted for Liverpool though.
Q: Is it a case of as the tie went on over the two legs, PSG actually turned out to be a better side than a lot of people expected them to be? So maybe it wasn’t as big a shock as it would have seemed two weeks ago?
I think people realised after the first leg that PSG are a decent team.
If you haven't seen enough of PSG this season, they are a very good team. I think going into it, everyone made Liverpool favorites but when you've got players like Dembele and Barcola - their full potential is coming out and everyone is starting to take notice.
EFL Cup Final
Q: Moving back to domestic matters and the EFL Cup final on Sunday with Liverpool v Newcastle. It’s a good chance for Liverpool to bounce back straight away?
I always say the next game is the biggest game because when you just had a defeat like that, you need characters. They've got a lot of characters and a good manager.
It's a big week for them. They lose that, then you look at it and think they're only going to win the Premier League. Before, we were talking about Liverpool possibly winning a quadruple or even the treble.
So it’s massive, they need to bounce back. They probably can't wait as a group of players, because they'll be hurting after getting knocked out by PSG.
It can go either way, though, because it’s a massive game for Newcastle. Their fans have been waiting for this for so many years. It could be time for players in Newcastle to become legends at that football club so it's a difficult one.
Despite losing to PSG, I still make Liverpool favourites. I still think they've got enough quality. They have a few injuries and suspensions to deal with, which is a huge blow to them because I would have liked to see Newcastle with their best 11 take on Liverpool's best 11. But then Liverpool have injuries - it looked like Trent Alexander-Arnold picked something up and Bradley's still out. They'll have a problem at right back.
Q: Like you said, it's a massive game for Newcastle. Is it a massive game for Eddie Howe as well?
I think it's massive for Eddie Howe. I think they've had a great season. They're still in with a chance of finishing with Champions League football and I think he's done well, even with the injuries that he's had this season, they still managed to contain that consistency all season and yeah to get them to this stage is fantastic.
It's going to be a hard game, even harder now after Liverpool losing to PSG.
It'll be a great day for Newcastle fans and obviously for Eddie Howe, because I think his journey at Newcastle has been very good. Everyone knows that he is a very good manager, that's why he was targeted for the England job.
Q: Where do you see that game being won or lost on the day?
It is about how they deal with Mo Salah with no Lewis Hall. In midfield Newcastle are very, very strong. I think it's if they can contain that Liverpool front three. Salah's played two games against Mendes and been quiet, so that could be where it is won and lost.
Salah's the key for me and obviously for Newcastle, they have Isak too. I think Isak, if he can cause Van Dijk and Konate problems, then Newcastle have a chance. I think losing Gordon is a huge blow because if Liverpool don’t have a natural right back, Gordon could have caused all kinds of problems.
But the Newcastle midfield three of Guimares, Joelinton and Tonali have been outstanding, they’re really really strong but Liverpool’s is also strong.
Q: Isak v Van Dijk is one that really stands out isn’t it? That’s what you want in finals, two of the best players in their positions going up against each other
Yeah, 100%. Isak - I’m not counting Salah as part of this - has probably been the best number nine for overall play. So it'll be a good battle and it's one I look forward to seeing because I saw what Isak did in the semi-final against Arsenal, causing Saliba and Gabriel all sorts of problems.
So it'd be interesting to see what he does against the best defender in my eyes in the world, Van Dijk.
Steel City Derby
Q: We have loads of big games on Sunday to go at. It’s the Steel City Derby on Sunday, which I know is a fixture you keep a close eye on.
That’s going to be a massive game, isn’t it? For both teams where they are in the table
Sheffield Wednesday have had back-to-back wins and Sheffield United will be hurting from conceding a late goal against Bristol City, and with Leeds winning on Wednesday and going top again - the title race will go right down to the wire.
Sheffield Wednesday have a good chance of maybe sneaking into the playoffs. You always see one team sneak in and they look like they are starting their good run now. Being 2-0 down against Norwich, coming back, winning 2-3, that’s a huge result.
It’s a massive football match, a massive football match. Wednesday won’t be wanting Sheffield United to go up and won't be doing anyone any favors. And then they look at themselves. They're trying to get into the playoffs.
It's a huge game. One I'm looking forward to watching and I think it would be a great atmosphere. It always is at Hillsborough, with a brilliant atmosphere.
Q: What is it about this rivalry that makes it special?
The attitude is: this is our city and we're the biggest team in the city. It's a big rivalry and I didn't know it was that big until being involved in it. And then you realize, wow, this is one of the biggest ones there is because of the hatred that they have for each other. And then that sometimes can spill onto the pitch. You want to make sure you have the bragging rights.
It's not a big city, Sheffield. So when you go out and you see opposition fans, you do like to rub it in. It's a massive one and as a fan if you're going back into work and you work with a fan of the opposition, you will be bragging, not just for the week. Until you probably play each other again. And that's how big it is.
Q: League form and positions go out of the window in these games don’t they?
It's about the emotions. Emotions are massive and the occasion is massive.
The rivalry was crazy. So you could be in great form, but this is a different game altogether. And you could be out of form but you're playing against a rivalry so it goes out the window.
It will need a strong referee as well because there'll be lots of tackles and it feels like the fans are literally on the pitch and being at Hillsborough, I think the atmosphere will be amazing if people haven't experienced it.
Q: Will there be any extra spice on the sidelines? After the last game there were videos of Chris Wilder in the pub, singing ‘Sausage Roll’
I don't think it will spill out onto the sidelines. I don't think Danny Rohl is really like that, but I think if they win, you won't forget as a manager.
So everyone would have seen what Chris Wilder was doing. So he won't forget and probably you might have a bit of a wind up after the game if they win the game, but during the game you're just concentrating on trying to get the three points and climbing up the table for both teams. So yeah, but you always have that in the back of your mind.
Celtic v Rangers
Q: Finally we have Celtic v Rangers on Sunday. I know that you said before that you would have liked to have had the chance to play for Celtic at some point in your career.
These games are the biggest, this is one of the biggest derbies in world football, to be fair. The amount of people that watch it…
It's hostile. Obviously, Rangers have a new manager, so they've had a bit of a pickup, got a big game in the Europa League where they're beating Fenerbahce so they've got it all to play for. They could be coming into that game on the weekend full of confidence and into the next round of the Europa League
I’d love to have played Celtic. I think it's every person's dream to be involved in playing a game like this Old Firm derby where the atmosphere is unbelievable and electric so it's a massive game. I don't think the result will determine who wins the league - Celtic should win it easily - but it's still bragging rights isn't it and it's hostile and fans love it and we love watching it and everyone likes being involved in it. So it's a huge football match.
It's one I would have loved to have played in.
Q: It's also the first time fans have been allowed in the away stadium for two years, I think, since 2023. That's massive, isn't it? For the game and for the league itself.
For the league, it's brilliant and for the game it's massive. You don't want to be playing and scoring a goal and then the whole ground is just complete silence because you don't have any fans in the ground. That's what football is about. Football's about the fans. So we need the fans to be involved. When you stop the fans from going to the ground, then it's not good. I think it's good for the league. It's definitely good for both of the teams because it makes the atmosphere and the rivalry even more so. And it's good for the fans.
As I say, fans make football. If you don't have fans, you don't have football.
You'd hope that yeah that being allowed back into the stands maybe increases the jeopardy and the tension on the pitch as well.
You want the fans in there. You want the atmosphere. You want the occasion. You want everyone to feel the occasion. I know as a player, I love getting involved with fans and when you have opposition fans or even your home fans giving you stick, you rise up. So when it's quiet, you can't really get that.
As I said, it's one of the biggest games there is in world football so the rivalry is fantastic.
