Derek McInnes is facing the possibility of a touchline ban as he prepares for his debut season as Rangers manager. The Scottish Football Association has cited him for comments made regarding match officials following Motherwell's late defeat to Celtic in the previous season.

The disciplinary charge stems from McInnes's criticism of a controversial penalty awarded to Celtic, which resulted in a last-minute goal that sealed a vital victory. At that time, Hearts was in a fierce battle for the Scottish Premiership title, ultimately losing to Celtic on the final day of the season.

If found guilty, McInnes could miss the opening match against Dundee United on July 31, live on Sky Sports, along with potentially three additional fixtures.

Key points include:

• Elliot Watt, a midfielder from Motherwell, has also received a similar charge.
• The club could face fines ranging from £1,000 to £100,000 if found guilty.
• Individual penalties include a minimum four-match ban for those involved.

McInnes labeled the penalty decision as "actually quite disgusting," expressing frustration over perceived bias against his team. He stated, "It feels like us against everybody," after a 3-0 victory over Falkirk.

The SFA will convene a judicial panel to address these charges on July 16. Rangers' upcoming fixtures include:

• July 31: Dundee United (a)
• August 9: Hibernian (h)
• August 22: St Mirren (h)
• August 29: Aberdeen (a)
• September 2: Falkirk (a)
• September 5: Motherwell (h)
• September 20: Celtic (a), live on Sky Sports.