The pursuit of the title continues for Celtic when they face Kilmarnock on Sunday. The match officials have been confirmed for the Hoops’ trip to Ayrshire.
Martin O’Neill’s side face a Kilmarnock team scrapping at the other end, but there is nothing straightforward about this trip to Ayrshire.
Neil McCann was appointed recently as Killie boss, and the former Ibrox man has given them a lift. They have won two and drawn one of their five Premiership matches under him, steady enough form for a side that had been staring at the relegation play-off spot.
They come into this one off the back of successive home wins, the first time they have managed that all season. A seven-goal thriller against St Mirren most recently, with new signing Tyreece John-Jules bagging a hat trick.
Rugby Park has not been a fortress, but there is a bit of belief creeping in.
Celtic know what that surface can do to rhythm and tempo. It demands sharpness and patience.
The Hoops left it late in midweek. Livingston looked set to take a point from Celtic Park before debutant Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain stepped up in stoppage time.
His 91st-minute winner spared Celtic’s blushes and kept momentum ticking over, but it also underlined a familiar issue. The chances were there long before that.
O’Neill will want this one put to bed earlier. Killie will sit in, break when they can and try to drag the game into the final stages.
If Celtic are clinical, it does not need to become that kind of afternoon.
The SFA have confirmed the officials for the match. Duncan Nicolson takes charge, assisted by Scott Anderson and Alastair Taylor.
Greg Aitken will oversee VAR duties, with Chris Graham assisting him.
Supporters will be watching that side of things closely, as always, particularly at a ground where decisions tend to be magnified.
Kick-off is at 2pm, and the game is live on Sky Sports.
Celtic’s schedule remains heavy, the margin for error slim. Three points here would keep the pressure where it belongs and move them another step closer to where they expect to be.
“ Supporters will be watching that side of things closely, as always”
To what end?
These “honest mistakes” are not even hidden in plain sight any more, they are blatant disregard for the laws of the game. The corrupt Officials are well aware that they can get away with anything to aid their favourite team. It actually looks recently that there is a game amongst them as to who can get away with the most blatant cheating. The Laptop Loyal of The SMSM, so favoured by The Celtic Board,continue to turn a blind eye. The Broadcast Media, and the BBC in particular, omit the main instances and even overdub the hateful proscribed racist songs. The Celtic Board do nothing, too complacent and comfortable in their excessively overpaid jolly boys outings to the extent that some people are questioning whether this is part of a strategy of compliance to preserve their joint O** F*** Brand.
glad to get rid of Beaton dickinson the are just biased against Celtic or anybody that threatens Rangers dallas var and of course McClean who till this day has not appoligise for the hand ball to keep prevent Celtic going 2 up in semi final against raith rovers im suprised he was not sent back for a years lower league