Chris Sutton summed up Celtic’s 1-0 win over St Mirren in his own way, with a short post on X that said plenty about how the game actually felt.

Celtic got the three points at Parkhead through Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s first-half goal. It put the Hoops ahead early, but it never turned into the kind of game that early goal suggested it might.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain speaking to the media the day after his winning strike against Livingston.

There were chances to make it easier. Tomas Cvancara had one from close range that should have made it two, while other openings came and went without being taken.

Because of that, the game never settled. St Mirren stayed in it, won corners, and pushed Celtic back more than they should have late on.


It reads one way, but it didn’t play out like that. Celtic had control of the ball and spent most of the time in the St Mirren half, but they never killed the game.

That is where the frustration lies. Get the first goal early and the next one should follow. Move it quicker, be sharper in the box, and take the chances. That part didn’t click often enough.

St Mirren stuck to their plan and waited. Every missed chance gave them belief. By the end, Celtic were defending set pieces and second balls instead of seeing it out on their own terms.

8th March 2026; Ibrox Stadium, Glasgow, Scotland; Scottish Cup Football, Rangers versus Celtic; Tomas Cvancara of Celtic celebrates with Auston Trusty of Celtic and Liam Scales of Celtic after he scores the penalty during the penalty shoot to win the match for Celtic

The result is what matters. Celtic needed the win and got it. But the way it unfolded tells a different story.

Sutton’s sarcastic tweet fits that. It looks simple on paper. It didn’t feel simple watching it.