Martin O’Neill cut a frustrated figure after Celtic were forced to settle for a draw in a dramatic Scottish Premiership showdown with Hearts at Tynecastle.
The Celtic boss arrived in Gorgie knowing his side had to take all three points to trim the gap on the league leaders. For long spells, it looked as though the Hoops were on course to do just that, only for late drama to deny them a crucial victory.
The match burst into life early when Benjamin Nygren curled in a superb free kick to give Hearts the lead. Celtic responded well and eventually turned the game around, but not before the hosts drew level shortly after the restart as they ramped up the pressure in front of a lively home crowd.
Celtic regained control when debutant Tomas Cvancara produced a brilliant solo run that carved open the Hearts defence, allowing Hyunjun Yang to finish from close range. With just over a quarter of an hour remaining, the visitors appeared to be edging towards a vital win.
That changed when Auston Trusty was shown a red card, a decision that left O’Neill furious on the touchline. Hearts soon took advantage of the numerical edge and grabbed an equaliser to make it 2-2.
Speaking to BBC Radio Scotland after the match, O’Neill made his feelings clear about the dismissal. He insisted he could not see how the incident warranted a red card and argued that the ball was moving away from goal, with defensive cover in place. He also questioned why the decision took so long to reach, stressing that the sending-off had a huge impact on the closing stages.
O’Neill also pointed to his side’s resilience, highlighting how Celtic had already played a man down for long spells in midweek and once again showed character despite the setback.
The draw leaves Celtic six points adrift of Hearts at the top of the table, with Rangers now two points ahead of them in third place. With only 16 league games remaining, O’Neill knows there is little room for error if his side are to stay in the title race.
European action comes next with a Europa League tie against Utrecht, but domestic matters remain the priority. Falkirk visit Celtic Park on February 1 before a tricky trip to Aberdeen follows just days later.
For Celtic, the equation is simple. From here on in, every league match feels like a final.