James McFadden makes Kris Boyd look silly over his Celtic penalty claim against Livingston

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It was a frantic, all-action goal-fest first half from Celtic and Livingston on Saturday in the Premiership.

In truth, it probably summed up Wilfried Nancy’s short reign so far, with one of the talking points being the award of a penalty to Celtic.

After those crazy ten minutes were over, in which four goals were scored, Benjamin Nygren put Celtic ahead in the 31st minute, before Arne Engels would score from the penalty spot eight minutes later.

All of that came after Livingston’s Daniel Finlayson was punished for handball following a Celtic corner, as James McFadden and Kris Boyd disagreed on the call in the Sky studios.

• READ MORE: Kris Boyd names the one thing Celtic have always had that they’re currently missing

Kris Boyd and James McFadden disagree on the call to award Celtic a penalty against Livingston

To nobody’s surprise, Boyd thought it wasn’t a penalty, but as per, he was fumbling and stumbling over his own words.

The former striker stated that Finlayson shouldn’t have been punished because he was fouled by Daizen Maeda as the action was taking place.

Boyd accused the Celtic forward of ‘shoving’ his opponent, which then led him to handle the ball and give away a penalty.

But McFadden completely disagreed by stating it’s ‘not enough’ to call it a foul, and how Livi have no complaints because his ‘arm is outstretched.’

That’s when Boyd made himself look silly because he stated that Finlayson’s arm was ‘already out’ before Maeda could even touch his opponent.

Thankfully, McFadden picked up on all of that nonsense and told his colleague that it must be a penalty, as he told Sky Sports Football (27/12/25).

Boyd: “There will be people sitting here saying, ‘It’s the exact same as Scales.’ It’s not. There is a shove there from Maeda in the back. 

“In terms of the arm, it’s up. 100%, it hits his arm. But there is a shove in the back.”

McFadden: “Do you think it’s enough to call it a shove? But that’s not enough. It’s not a foul. I totally get the point that there is contact. 

“But I just don’t know if there is enough. I think that’s maybe a get-out defensively to say, ‘that’s a shove.’ I would say there is a nudge in the back. I think you are going to get contact. I’m not sure that’s a foul.

“His arm is outstretched. Whether it’s deliberate or not. It doesn’t matter. His arm is outside his body. I just don’t feel there is enough for that to be given a foul on the defender.”

Boyd: “His hands are already out. But he is pushed towards it. His hands go up a little bit.”

McFadden: “So, it’s a penalty then, if his arm is already out?”

Boyd: “The referees have been consistent with the handball, which is fine, fair enough. But there is a shove there before it hits his hand. 

“We don’t know if it’s because of that or not. But there is a shove there to push him towards the ball.”