The Hoops’ defender was shown a red in the defeat at Celtic Park and will miss next Sunday’s derby clash
(Image: SNS Group)
Auston Trusty’s red card in Celtic’s defeat to Hibs has split the the pundits opinion after the champions suffered a blow to their title hopes.
Trusty was sent off for violent conduct in the second half, after he forcefully batted away Jamie McGrath’s arm at a corner. Ref Matthew MacDermid didn’t initially react to the flashpoint, however the VAR team would intervene.
Grant Irvine called the man in the middle to the pitchside monitor – and he would issue the US international a straight red card. Celtic would slump to a 2-1 defeat as Martin O’Neill lost his first domestic game in the Parkhead dugout this season.
The Irishman branded the call “harsh” on the centre back as he explained whistler MacDermid had initially planned to warn both McGrath and Trusty. It means that he is set to miss the crucial to Ibrox to face Rangers next weekend.
That is unless the Hoops decide to launch an appeal of the decision by the match officials. The SFA could fast track the outcome before the clash with Danny Rohl’s men.
But would the defender be cleared? Here is what the pundits have said about the big talking point.
Peter Lovenkrands
He told BBC Sportscene: “I 100 per cent think it’s a red card. I don’t think there is any doubt in it. It’s a stupid thing to do, because he gives the referee a decision to make here. He pushed him, and then he actually punches him down on his arm like that. That is aggressive, and it’s violent conduct by law.”
Scott Allan
On the same show, Allan said: “I’m surprised why he is so agitated by it, because it’s not much contact. He has put his teammates in a position, and they have went on to lose the game.”
Sportscene’s angle of the Auston Trusty red card
He also didn’t offer much hope for an appeal as the broadcaster showed a unique angle: “At the same time, he is going to miss the Rangers game next week.”
Kris Boyd
Speaking on Sky Sports, the Rangers man said: “I have no idea what Trusty’s doing there. I know it’s a bit of a coming together, but you can’t just turn around and punch someone.”
James McFadden
Speaking on Sky Sports, the former Motherwell and Scotland star couldn’t defend the centre-back. He said: “It is utter madness from Auston Trusty that he feels he can do that.”
Daniel Caw
Speaking on Record Sport’s Hotline Live, our man Caw said: “People might disagree with this, but it’s never a red card in a million years. The two guys are at a corner, and McGrath has Trusty’s shirt and Trusty bats his arm away on his forearm and McGrath hits the deck. At first it looks like the referee is going to have a word with him, but then VAR gets involved. He goes and looks at it and deems it serious foul play. You see that every corner.”
Asked by Keith Jackson if it could be rescinded before the Rangers game, he said: “I didn’t think it was a red, but they very rarely overturn them though. They might back the ref, but I thought it was extremely harsh.”
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