Callum McGregor did not disguise his emotions after Celtic’s loss to Hibernian. The skipper was direct when questioned about Auston Trusty’s red card. In his opinion, it was an incorrect call.
The moment arrived with the match finely balanced. Trusty was wrestling with his marker Jamie McGrath at a set-piece. There was contact, arms intertwined, jerseys tugged. The referee was directed to the monitor.
A red card followed. Celtic were reduced to ten men.From that point, the contest shifted. Celtic had been pressing for a decisive goal.
After the sending-off, Yang Hyun-jun was withdrawn, and the full-backs became more cautious in their forward runs. Hibs recognised the momentum swing and exploited the wide areas.
McGregor’s argument was straightforward. Those kinds of duels occur at virtually every corner. If that is deemed violent conduct, defenders will be on edge every weekend.
He also stressed that with eleven players on the pitch, the result likely unfolds differently.He said: (TCW), “The one today, in my opinion, is a bad decision.
Auston probably gives them the chance to send him off, but I think if we’re all honest, that happens in every single corner kick, free kick in the game. It has been for the last 150 years or whatever it is.
“So I think that’s a poor one, but it’s one of them that if you keep 11 men on the pitch, you’ll probably win the game.
“And that’s what I’m talking about in terms of making the game easier for ourselves, and you need things like that to drop for you if you’re going to go and win leagues.
“I think this happens every single free kick, corner kick, in every single game of football that we watch. So to send him off for that, we may as well all go up the road and stop playing football if that’s going to be a red card every single week.”
McGregor has experienced enough title battles to recognise how marginal incidents can define a campaign. A red card does more than leave you a man short. It demands tactical reshuffles across the team. The press retreats.
The spaces widen. Decisions on the ball become more cautious.It comes as Celtic have formally lodged an appeal against the ruling. The club now face a demanding run of fixtures uncertain whether Trusty will be eligible. Centre-back partnerships rely on understanding and continuity. Remove one component and the equilibrium changes. It is not simply a case of slotting in another name.
Within the dressing room, there is a collective feeling about the incident. The squad believed the momentum turned after the dismissal. From then on, they were chasing the game.
In a championship race, opportunities are scarce. Points disappear fast. When a call alters the direction of a match in that manner, it lingers long in the memory.