Dundee United defender Ryan Edwards has been backed by former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher following his challenge on Alfredo Morelos.

Gallagher does not think Edwards will face retrospective action for his challenge on the Rangers striker, who was stretchered off with a gash near his knee.

Edwards won the ball but then caught the Colombia international with his follow-through.

Scottish Football Association compliance officer Clare Whyte has until 3pm on Tuesday to decide whether to issue Edwards with a notice of complaint for the tackle after referee Kevin Clancy played on.

“I think they’ll say no,” Gallagher told Sky Sports News. “This tackle will split lots and lots of people because many people think it’s a red card and a lot of people think it’s not.

“I actually don’t because Edwards plays the ball first – he gets the ball first.

“It’s unfortunate he follows through and catches Morelos across the knee.

“He hasn’t gone in with a raised boot, he’s followed through and it’s a consequence of his tackle.

“I think Morelos goes in to win the ball, he gets there slightly after Edwards and I think it’s inevitable there will be a collision and there is a collision and it’s unfortunate. But you can’t judge every challenge on a physical outcome, you have to judge it on the tackle.

“If someone picks up an injury as a consequence of a challenge it can be accidental and I think this is.”

A notice of complaint could be raised if the incident is deemed serious foul play of an “exceptional” variety and was not seen in full by Clancy and his fellow match officials.

An act can be deemed exceptional if the level of force was “very high”; if the challenge was malicious or designed to cause injury; there was a “very high” level of danger; or if the challenge caused a “significant injury”.

Morelos is a doubt for Rangers’ Europa League second qualifying-round tie against Lincoln Red Imps on Thursday.