Celtic Manager Furious Over VAR Intervention in Tynecastle Stalemate
Martin O'Neill has launched a scathing attack on VAR official John Beaton, accusing him of effectively 're-refereeing the game' following a controversial decision that saw Auston Trusty sent off during Celtic's dramatic 2-2 draw with Hearts at Tynecastle.
Controversial Dismissal Mars Hard-Fought Encounter
The pivotal moment arrived thirteen minutes from time with the score delicately poised. Celtic, having retaken the lead through Yang Hyun-jun's counter-attacking strike after Stuart Findlay had cancelled out Benjamin Nygren's early opener, were pushing for a crucial victory.
On-field referee Steven McLean initially showed American international Auston Trusty a yellow card for pulling down Landry Kabore, judging that covering defender Dane Murray was in close proximity. However, after being urged by VAR John Beaton to review the incident at the pitch-side monitor, McLean reversed his decision, upgrading the caution to a straight red card.
'I do have an argument with the red card,' fumed O'Neill post-match. 'The referee gave a yellow and was sent over, with VAR obviously re-refereeing the game. It's no more a red card than a blue card - which don't exist.'
O'Neill's Detailed Defence of Trusty's Challenge
The Celtic manager provided a detailed rationale for his frustration, arguing the on-field official's initial assessment was correct.
'First of all, the ball was going away from goal, so the player had to get hold of it and control it,' O'Neill explained. 'Secondly, and more importantly, we've got someone on the cover. That's what the referee saw in the first place and he was pretty close to it. It's not how it went and it puts you under severe pressure in those last 20 minutes.'
Reduced to ten men for the second consecutive match following Reo Hatate's dismissal in the Europa League against Bologna, Celtic's resilience was broken late on. Claudio Braga capitalised on the numerical disadvantage, firing home a second equaliser for Hearts with just three minutes of normal time remaining.
League Position Slips Amidst Rangers Victory
The dropped points, coupled with Rangers' victory over Dundee, saw Celtic slip to third place in the Scottish Premiership table. They now sit two points behind their city rivals and a significant six points adrift of league leaders Hearts.
Despite the setback, O'Neill sought to find positives, particularly praising his team's effort while a man down for the second time in four days. 'I was delighted with the effort of the team, particularly towards the end when we were down to 10 men again,' he stated. 'Maybe considering the circumstances, I might not disagree that it was a good point. They maybe had the opportunity with us down to 10 men and having played on Thursday night. But overall, a draw was probably a fair result.'
Transfer Window Concerns and Injury Worries
The consecutive red cards have heightened O'Neill's concerns about squad depth with just one week remaining in the January transfer window. 'There is a concern,' he admitted. 'We played 60 minutes on Thursday with 10 men and not as long, but an important time psychologically and physically, with 10 again. I don't know about numbers, but we would definitely need some people in.'
On a brighter note, new signing Tomas Cvancara made an encouraging debut, providing the assist for Yang's goal before being substituted as a precaution. 'I thought his run for the goal was fantastic, absolutely fantastic,' O'Neill said of the on-loan Borussia Monchengladbach forward.
Defender Kieran Tierney emerged as a fresh injury concern ahead of Thursday's crucial Europa League decider against Utrecht, leaving the field with a muscle complaint. 'He's pretty sore but we'll see how he is for Thursday,' O'Neill confirmed, joking about a potential positional crisis: 'Who would be left back? Me! I'll make a comeback.'
Looking at the broader Scottish football landscape, O'Neill acknowledged the excitement of a three-way title race involving Hearts, Rangers, and his own side. 'It does stimulate interest and it was good to see the crowd today,' he remarked, while firmly keeping his focus on Celtic's own challenging path ahead with fifteen league games remaining.
