Celtic continued their relentless march towards the title with a dominant 3-0 victory over Dundee United, despite making five changes from the side that faced Bayern Munich midweek.
The players who came in stepped up and ensured that Brendan Rodgers’ side never lost momentum, keeping the Hoops firmly in control of the league race.
However, while the performance was outstanding, there was one major flashpoint in the game that deserves scrutiny—a decision that arguably denied Celtic a clear scoring opportunity early in the second half.
A Bizarre Call from Nick Walsh
Referee Nick Walsh didn’t have his best afternoon, and the biggest example of that came when he halted a clear Celtic attack just as they had broken through Dundee United’s press.
Celtic were in full flow, with Callum McGregor leading a four-on-three counterattack, but just as the move was set to develop into a dangerous goalscoring opportunity, Walsh blew his whistle to award a free kick for a foul on Luke McCowan.
It was a shocking decision, as there was absolutely no need to stop the game at that moment. The yellow card could have been given later, allowing play to continue and Celtic to capitalise on their attacking advantage. Given the way Rodgers’ side were carving open United’s defence, few would have bet against them scoring from that situation. Instead, the whistle rescued Dundee United, allowing them to reset their shape and escape a clear moment of danger.
A Talking Point Despite a Comfortable Win
Ultimately, Celtic were too strong for Dundee United, securing the three points without needing that particular attack to result in a goal. However, in a closer game, a decision like this could have had serious consequences.
Walsh’s performance will rightly be questioned, as these types of inconsistent decisions continue to frustrate. Fortunately for Celtic, they didn’t let the poor officiating disrupt their momentum, and they march on towards another league title.
