Celtic supporters will undoubtedly be disappointed they were not awarded a penalty following Allan McGregor’s tackle on Daizen Maeda during the Old Firm derby on Sunday.
The Bhoys took a huge step towards regaining their Premiership title after beating their fierce rivals this weekend. The hosts took an early lead, but goals from Tom Rogic and Cameron Carter-Vickers completed an impressive comeback and secured the three points.
Will Celtic now win the league?
Yes
No
Moments before the Hoops went in front, Ange Postecoglou’s men had grounds to appeal for a penalty. Maeda found himself one-on-one with Rangers shot-stopper McGregor and although the latter did not touch the ball before taking the Japan international out, referee Willie Collum decided against awarding a spot-kick.
A video of the situation was shared on Twitter (which originated from Sky Sports) and it will likely infuriate the club’s supporters despite the win.
TIF Thoughts on the tackle on Maeda…
It is hard to argue that McGregor did not foul Maeda, who has scored six times since making the switch to Parkhead in January. The ball was out of the picture when the veteran custodian’s trailing leg brought his opponent down, and had VAR technology been available, Collum may well have changed his mind when given the opportunity to have another look.
Football fans have long memories when it suits them, and Celtic fans still remember when Collum awarded a spot-kick to Rangers in 2010 despite not even seeing a collision between Daniel Majstorovic and Kirk Broadfoot. It is also worth remembering that the official was removed as the referee for the previous Old Firm derby in February prior to the match.
Ultimately, though, it did not impact the final result. It was a hard-fought game between the two sides, but an impressive defensive display from Celtic helped them walk away with the victory. Carter-Vickers and Carl Starfelt were rocks at the heart of the back four, winning 11 of their 18 combined duels, while Joe Hart contributed with five important saves.
The result puts Postecoglou and co firmly in the driving seat as we approach the end of the campaign. Celtic now lead by six points with as many games remaining and barring a disastrous run, they should soon get their hands on the 52nd league title in the club’s history.