Celtic came away from Easter Road with a hard-fought win, applying pressure on both Rangers and Hearts ahead of their fixtures tomorrow. The reigning Scottish champions pulled level at the top of the table after edging past Hibs 2 1 in what turned out to be a tense afternoon.
There were several talking points across the match, and one of the early flashpoints in the second half saw Josh Campbell and Liam Scales both shown yellow cards following a coming together. However, beyond that incident, there was a strong argument that Celtic should have been awarded a penalty moments earlier.
As Benji Nygren attempted to shepherd the ball out of play, he appeared to be clearly shoved in the back by the Hibs midfielder. It was the kind of challenge that often gets punished, and Celtic players certainly felt they had a case, but nothing was given.
Should Celtic have had a penalty?
Ultimately, it did not affect the final outcome, as Kelechi Iheanacho’s composed finish with under twenty minutes remaining proved to be the decisive moment in the game.
That said, the match was not short of officiating drama from start to finish.
Douglas Ross and referee David Dickinson initially missed a major incident in the first half when Jamie McGrath produced a reckless challenge that looked worthy of a red card. It took VAR intervention from Don Robertson, who advised Dickinson to review the incident on the pitchside monitor. After taking a second look, the referee had little choice but to send the Hibs player off.
There was further confusion not long after when Ross raised his flag to rule out Daizen Maeda’s goal for offside. Once again, VAR stepped in, overturning the decision and awarding Celtic the opener after confirming that Maeda had been onside.
However, the biggest controversy of the afternoon came just before half time.
As Hibs pushed forward, Joe Newell bundled the ball into the net to level the score, but there were immediate appeals for handball in the build-up. Replays suggested that the ball may have made contact with his arm before falling kindly for the finish.
Despite this, VAR did not intervene, and the goal was allowed to stand.
It was a pivotal moment in the match and one that could easily have shaped the result differently. From a Celtic perspective, it felt like a significant call going against them at a crucial stage.
In the end, though, it was not the defining factor.
Celtic regrouped, stayed composed, and found the breakthrough late on through Iheanacho, whose contribution off the bench once again proved invaluable.
While the performance may not have been perfect, the result is what matters most at this stage of the season. Three points on the road keeps them firmly in the title race and ensures the pressure remains on their rivals heading into a crucial round of fixtures.
Still, the officiating decisions, particularly around the penalty shout and the Newell handball, will no doubt continue to be debated long after the final whistle.