It was a nervy finish for Celtic at Easter Road.
When Celtic scored two goals in 33 seconds in the first half, Martin O’Neill’s side had Hibernian exactly where they wanted them to be.
But then in the second half, Liam Scales was punished for a handball, after on-field referee Nick Walsh was told by VAR to go to his monitor to check his call and award the home side a penalty.
That made life difficult for the champions of Scotland, who hung on for all three points, but was it right to punish Scales?
Who is your man of the match?
Dermot Gallagher on Liam Scales’ handball for Celtic against Hibernian
Dermot Gallagher admitted on Sky Sports Ref Watch (01/12/25) that it was ‘really harsh’ to punish Scales in such a way because he didn’t have any intention to handle the ball.
But looking at it with his referee’s hat on, the former Premier League official stated that ‘in the current climate’ such handballs are now penalty kicks.
“I think it’s really harsh,” said Gallagher. “But we know the rule. I don’t think Liam Scales has any intention of handling the ball when it comes over the defender’s head.
“He doesn’t see it. But it hits his hand. Once it hits his hand, you just know, in the current climate, it has to be a penalty.”
Was it a handball?
Jay Bothroyd’s verdict from a player’s perspective
That’s from the perspective of an official, as Jay Bothroyd also shared his verdict from the perspective of a former player.
The former Premier League forward thinks it was ‘unfortunate’, but by the ‘letter of the law’, it was a deserved penalty for Hibs.
“They are the unfortunate ones again,” added Bothroyd. “They are so unfortunate, because you are challenging. You are not in control of your limbs.
“You are challenging for a ball. It just hits you, and it’s just unfortunate. But it’s the letter of the law, isn’t it?!”
Receive a digest of our best Celtic content each week direct to your mailbox
