Michael Stewart states what ‘I don’t understand’ amid Auston Trusty’s red card for Celtic at Hearts

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You sense this is going to be a talking point for a little while yet.

Auston Trusty’s red card during Celtic’s draw against Hearts on Sunday has divided opinion, and it proved to be costly because Martin O’Neill’s side would concede not long after.

But given that Celtic appealed Trusty’s red card, on top of O’Neill’s comments after the game, it tells you everything you need to know, regarding how those inside Parkhead feel about the whole situation.

Nobody debated that it was a foul from Trusty; it was just a case of whether it was a clear goalscoring opportunity, as Michael Stewart weighed in on the debate.

• READ MORE: Chris Sutton and Steven Naismith weigh in on Celtic red card controversy vs Hearts

Thoughts on Celtic’s decision to appeal Auston Trusty’s red card?

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Michael Stewart on Auston Trusty’s red card for Celtic against Hearts

Some have suggested that the covering defender, Dane Murray, would have been able to come across and meet Pierre Landry Kabore.

But Stewart told Premier Sports that ‘I don’t understand’ how anybody can say that it ‘wasn’t a goalscoring opportunity.’

“What you need to ask folk is ‘what constitutes a goalscoring opportunity?’” said Stewart.

“If you were to say, a striker picking the ball up, eight yards to the side of the goal on the edge of the box, and a defender not within five yards of you. Would you say that constitutes a goalscoring opportunity?

“If you actually look, and I have heard a lot about the angle of the ball. But let’s be clear, the ball is still going towards the goal, in terms of up the park. 

“Yes, it’s going at a slight angle. Kabore is running towards the ball. I think when he touches the ball, he is still going to be, roughly, six to eight yards on the side of the ball, which is nothing. Then he is in on goal at the edge of the box. 

“There’s not a covering defender who is going to affect what Kabore is doing. I don’t understand how anybody could argue that wasn’t a goalscoring opportunity.

“Come on?! How isn’t that a goalscoring opportunity?”

Stewart criticises on-field referee Steven McLean

Remember, the initial call from on-field referee Steven McLean was to award Trusty a yellow card, to the dismay of the opposition players, fans and bench.

That’s when VAR intervened and advised McLean to look at his decision again. Either way, Stewart thinks it was ‘really poor’ from the official.

“I thought it was a really poor decision from Steven McLean,” added Stewart. “As I said to you, the ball is moving towards the goal. Yes, it’s at a slight angle.”