Martin O'Neill slams VAR as Celtic boss rages 'they've been doing this for years'

O'Neill was angry VAR intervened to send off Auston Trusty – but didn't get involved to award his team a spot-kick

Martin O'Neill slammed VAR meddling after Celtic’s damaging defeat to Hibs.

The Parkhead boss had his say after two huge second-half calls which turned the tide against his side in their 2-1 loss.

With the game locked at 1-1 and less than 20 minutes remaining, Auston Trusty was red-carded after a clash in the box with visiting midfielder Jamie McGrath.

O’Neill says referee Matthew MacDermid told him after the game he had intended just to speak to the two players before VAR official Grant Irvine called him to the monitor.

Trusty was adjudged to have committed an act of violent conduct by MacDermid after he reviewed the footage and Celtic angst only increased when, almost immediately, Liam Scales went down in the box at a corner after a tug on the shirt from Hibs defender Jack Iredale.

Protests on the pitch from the Celtic players including the Irishman were waved away by MacDermid with Irvine not getting involved on that occasion.

On the red card incident, O’Neill said: “Well, I’ve just had a word with the referee. He said he was just going to have a word with the two players, first of all. Then I think VAR intervened and said it was violent conduct.”

It was put to O’Neill that was a case of re-refeering the game and he replied: “They’ve been doing it for years, so that’s not going to change.”

O’Neill them moved onto the penalty incident involving Scales and said: “The referee, I think his words were, he didn’t hold onto him long enough, but it seems a wee bit strange. You're grabbing someone’s shirt as he’s making a move to get the ball and holding onto his shirt. Some years ago it was a penalty. But VAR, they’ve passed that one on, so there we go.”

O’Neill spoke with Trusty immediately after the match and, although the intervention of VAR played a huge role, the boss admits it was a wrong move in the current climate from his centre back.

He said: “I’ve spoken to him. At the end of it all, you can’t do this. If that’s the rules now, it doesn’t matter if someone is holding onto you, in an attempt to breakaway, you can’t thrust down in the manner in which he did to get away. So I’ve been told it’s violent conduct.”

Trusty’s red card means that he will now be suspended for Sunday’s Premiership clash against Rangers at Ibrox.

Last month, Celtic launched an appeal when the American international was ordered-off during the 2-2 draw with Hearts at Tynecastle.

However, given the nature of the offence and the explanations which O’Neill was given, the manager doesn’t not believe an appeal will be made on this one.

He said: “Personally I wouldn’t have thought so. The referee has explained to me that’s what VAR said. It was violent conduct, so I don’t think anyone will change their minds on that.”

The timing of the red card and the penalty incident was devastating for Celtic as they had the momentum at that stage of the match and were pushing hard to get the goal which would have put them 2-1 in front in the closing stages.

Instead, they succumbed to the same scoreline and O’Neill said: “We played some really fantastic football. We went in 1-1 at half time and we should probably have been in front.

“The sending off has a big affect. We had the momentum at that stage. We had some chances second half and if you don’t put them away there’s a possibility at the other end.”

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