The footballing world has been left talking over a huge Celtic penalty that directly impacts Hearts’ chances of winning the title.
A 3-0 victory for the Jambos over Falkirk would have been enough to clinch Premiership glory for the first time since 1960 if second-placed Celtic lost at Motherwell. They were drawing 2-2 at over the allotted amount of second half stoppage time when VAR official Andrew Dallas called referee John Beaton to the monitor for a look at a Sam Nicholson challenge on Auston Trusty.
It was deemed handball but several pundits and fans have been left aghast as Kelechi Iheanacho stepped up to win the game for Celtic. It now means instead of needing to avoid defeat by a three-goal margin, Hearts now have to avoid defeat entirely, changing the dynamics of Saturday’s title shootout at Parkhead between the pair. Here’s how 17 pundits reacted to the controversial incident.
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5. Kris Boyd (Sky)
"It clearly hits his head. If it hits your hand it just drops down at your feet. The non-red card for Alistair Johnston against Rangers and now that tonight. Another dubious call that goes in Celtic's favour. Questions will be asked." | SNS Group
6. Gary Lineker (X)
"This might be the worst VAR decision I’ve seen (and there’s a lot of competition). Extraordinary given the significance." | AFP via Getty Images
7. Darren O'Dea (Sportsound)
"Looking at the footage we've just watched, it's made huge contact with Sam Nicholson's head because of the trajectory the ball takes. I don't know how you can conclusively say that is handball." | Local Library
8. Scott Brown (Sportscene)
"It is harsh. There is a hand there. Sam's hand is in front of his forehead, whether Trusty's knocked him, Sam's not meant to handle it. But he runs the risk as soon as his hand is up there. It's going to be a hard decision for anybody. | Getty Images