Sky Sports panel baffled by Hibs VAR call vs Celtic, even Kris Boyd shocked

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The Sky Sports panel for Hibs vs Celtic were shocked by the decision to allow Joe Newell’s equaliser.

On the brink of half-time, a mix-up in the Hoops box allowed the ball to drop to Newell. With Viljami Sinisalo in no man’s land, the midfielder finished with ease.

However, replays quickly showed that the Englishman’s arm made contact with the ball on its way down, presumably constituting a handball in the lead-up to the goal.

After a lengthy VAR check, the officials surprisingly allowed the goal to stand, leaving James McFadden, Kris Boyd, Aiden McGeady and Eilidh Barbour surprised.

Sky Sports panel on Hibs goal vs Celtic: ‘I’m surprised’

The panel scrutinised the decision as follows:

McFadden: It looks to me as if it hits Joe Newell’s arm.

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McGeady: His wrist actually comes back from impact. His wrist comes back from impact.

McFadden: You have to make sure, and they feel, VAR feel, that they’re not sure it does. I think it hits his arm. I think you can see with Joe Newell’s reaction, as if, ‘Yeah, I’ll take it.’ As if, ‘I’ve got away with it there.’ I think it does hit his hand.

McFadden: I’m surprised the goal has stood, to be honest with you. But if they feel that they can’t tell conclusively, that it doesn’t hit his arm…

McFadden: From that angle, I have to say, it doesn’t look like it does. This one, it does. I mean, it looks like it’s hit his forearm and his hand.

Barbour: And just to make clear: any handball that leads directly to a goal should be disallowed. But you have to be able to say for definite.

Boyd: The on-field decision stands, and that’s probably that area, they’re inconclusive with it. They can’t rule it out, and that’s why they’ve came to the decision that the goal should stand.

Boyd: But, coming from me(!), it does look like it’s a handball.

McFadden: So it must be!