Ross County vs Celtic

The champions are in the Highland and know a win over the Staggies will restore their nine-point advantage at the top of the table.

Ross County 0-1 Celtic. Still Ross County 0-1 Celtic. After Eamonn Brophy robs Carl Starfelt at one end, Celtic retrieve the ball and break down the right, with Alistair Johnston riding an strong challenge from Iacovitti to then find Jota who fires over from a promising position. Celtic win a free kick 25 yards from goal, but Jota's effort isn't troubling Ross Laidlaw. His arm is definitely outstretched as he challenges for the header and you can see why it was given. When comparing it to a similar incident involving Andrew Considine before the international break, Boyd said: Thankfully the youngster is back to his feet quickly and play continues. It seems a bit of an overreaction by the officials as it the manager was calm in his approach. The Korean striker then rolls young Dylan Smith before racing towards the box and firing just wide. Celtic's subs have certainly added a freshness and a big threat to since coming on, but they've been unable to add the second goal to kill this game off. The players are celebrating in front of their jubilant travelling support, but were not without their issues today. The J-League Player of the Year is primed to start with Reo Hatate and Aaron Mooy toiling.

Manager Ange Postecoglou has named his Celtic team vs Ross County for today's Scottish Premiership clash.

It could be a chance for the captain to show off his versatility. There’s no Hatate or Aaron Mooy, who are both expected back for the visit of Rangers, so it’s the natural choice to give Iwata an opportunity. It is the Japanese midfielder’s first-ever start for the club after seven substitute appearances.

Kris Boyd has branded VAR in Scotland as an "absolute shambles" as he slaughtered the technology over "inconsistencies". The former Rangers striker launched ...

He continued: "You don't know what you are going to get, do you? Let's go to the break." "You look at the one at Kilmarnock that wasn't given, that one is given. There might be an argument over whether it's natural or unnatural but it's a penalty kick. "You can't have it outstretched like that in the box, so it's a penalty. "As soon as you put your arm out and make that motion to header the ball, then if it strikes your arm it's a penalty kick.

KRIS BOYD branded Scotland's roll-out of VAR a SHAMBLES after Celtic's controversial penalty at Ross County.Ref Willie Collum awarded a spot.

[Staggies ](https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/sport/football/team/14924/ross-county/)defender went for a header with [Cameron Carter-Vickers](https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/who/cameron-carter-vickers/) and saw the ball brush his arm. “We haven’t noticed it but he saw it straight away and tried to give the ref a signal.” “Alex Iacovitti is trying to keep close to Carter-Vickers but as soon as you put your arm out and make that motion to header the ball, as soon as it strikes your arm it’s a penalty kick. And he was backed up by ex-Hoops man Stilyan Petrov, who added: “It is a penalty, you can see it’s an unnatural position for the defender’s hand and Carter-Vickers is calling for it straight away. “It was a penalty, it’s why VAR was introduced and we’ve got to the right decision.” Fellow pundit James McFadden reckons Collum and his team got the call spot on, saying: “It was the right decision, we didn’t see it in normal time but got a chance to see it again.

Ange Postecoglou has made one change to his Celtic side that beat Hibs 3-1 before the international break - with Reo Hatate making way for Tomoki Iwata ...

[Scottish Premiership](https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/all-about/spfl-premiership) relegation battle, lying just two points above bottom-placed Dundee United and four points adrift of Kilmarnock, putting them firmly in the relegation play-off places. Sign up to our daily sport newsletter [he](https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/newsletter-preference-centre/) [re](https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/newsletter-preference-centre/). County are firmly in the Jota quickly levelled matters, but Oh Hyeon-gyu's header only managed to seal the win with just eight minutes left on the clock before David Turnbull sealed all three points. And with that in mind - with Rangers coming up for Celtic next week - [Postecoglou](https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/all-about/ange-postecoglou) has made one change to a side that sees Reo Hatate miss out.

Match report as Celtic win 2-0 at relegation-threatened Ross County; goals at the end of each half from Jota, after a controversial Video Assistant ...

"Some referees in the VAR truck will give it and some won't. You can't have you arms up when you're jumping to head the ball." "It's the inconsistency from the whole thing is why people are still speaking about it for the wrong reasons. "I think they made it difficult for us. "We knew that every time we come here it is a tough match to play. "It's then edgier than it should be, but overall the lads handled it OK. "He was the one who looked most sure-footed in terms of the pitch and the handling of the ball. He really helped us considering it was his first 90 minutes after three months." "The goal definitely gave us some rest and then we had to go in at half-time to rethink what we did and go to the second half to be better. I thought, 'surely not'. "I spoke to him at half-time and he said it was the laws of the game and he has to give a penalty." "Someone is going to have to explain to me how you jump for a ball in the box and have your arms at your side.

The Premiership champions are on course for a second successive title as they kept their nine point lead over Rangers.

Even if it did, it was an incredibly harsh decision to award the spot kick but Jota wasn't going to complain as he stepped up and fired it into the back of the net. Nobody claimed for anything at the time and when a VAR check was first mentioned, it was believed to be for an incident with Kyogo which happened just outside the box. It's fair to say the handball rule has caused controversy and it was the same again today as Celtic were awarded a penalty for an incredibly harsh incident right at the end of the first half. And they might be a bit angry about the goal that Celtic did score given it came from the penalty spot with the final kick of the first half of the game. And Football Scotland take a look at the two big VAR calls on the day. Malky McKay's men are sitting in the relegation playoff place but they didn't just sit in and they showed some attacking quality as well during the second half but couldn't find an equaliser.

It did not take long after the SPFL Premiership resumption for a controversial VAR decision to rear its head. This time the scene was Victoria Park in ...

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Celtic were awarded a dubious penalty at the end of the first half in their 2-0 win over Ross County on Sunday afternoon.

I find it remarkable that VAR is interfering and the bar is set at that. I look at where the bar is set with VAR in England, and it's high. "You can't 'jump' in the box with your arms at your side, his arm is behind him. [Mackay](https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/all-about/malky-mackay) rightly felt aggrieved by the decision, with other stonewall calls failing to be given across the season so far. "I was really surprised at the penalty. [Jota](https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/all-about/jota) tucking home from the spot kick in the last action of the half. Sign up to our daily sport newsletter But with the seconds ticking down in Dingwall, Alex Iacovitti was adjudged to have handled from a cross whilst battling for a header with Cameron Carter-Vickers - despite only the American international appealing. [he](https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/newsletter-preference-centre/) [re](https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/newsletter-preference-centre/). He doesn't even see it - it's ball to arm. Willie Collum wasted no time whatsoever in pointing to the spot after a brief look at the VAR screen, with [Ross County](https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/all-about/ross-county-fc) had done well to keep the score at 0-0 heading into what was seemingly going into a goalless break.

Alexandro Bernabei scored a brilliant goal for Celtic during Sunday's 2-0 win over Ross County in the Scottish Premiership.

It’s been far from blow away and, as the manager notes himself, you see that he still has a ways to go to fully adjust to this Celtic team. Bernabei has to make the most of his chances given Taylor is such an integral member of the squad and he did just that in the Highlands. We know he has it in his locker because we see it in training.

The former Rangers striker blasted VAR as a "shambles" after the decision in Dingwall.

He continued: "You don't know what you are going to get, do you? Let's go to the break." "You look at the one at Kilmarnock that wasn't given, that one is given. There might be an argument over whether it's natural or unnatural but it's a penalty kick. "You can't have it outstretched like that in the box, so it's a penalty. "As soon as you put your arm out and make that motion to header the ball, then if it strikes your arm it's a penalty kick.