SKY SPORTS ERUPTS INTO CHAOS AS KRIS BOYD CLASHES WITH CHRIS SUTTON OVER CONTROVERSIAL CELTIC DECISION

Sky Sports was thrown into another heated debate after Kris Boyd and Chris Sutton offered strong views on the controversial decision that denied Celtic a second goal against St Johnstone.

Celtic eventually secured a narrow 1-0 victory to maintain their perfect start to the Scottish Premiership campaign.

But the result was overshadowed by a major refereeing controversy after Haissem Hassan appeared to score a second goal for Celtic, only for the effort to be ruled out.

The decision was reviewed by VAR, but the original call was allowed to stand because there was no conclusive footage proving that the ball had remained in play.

That decision immediately divided the Sky Sports punditry team.

BOYD REFUSES TO AGREE WITH THE DECISION

Former Rangers striker Kris Boyd was particularly outspoken when the incident was analysed.

Boyd made it clear that he believed Celtic should have been awarded the goal.

The pundit argued that, from what could be seen, the ball appeared to remain in play before Kasper Høgh headed it back across goal.

His assessment immediately caused a reaction in the studio.

Scott Brown, the former Celtic captain, was visibly surprised by Boyd’s position, while the debate quickly developed into one of the major talking points from the match.

SUTTON ALSO MAKES HIS FEELINGS CLEAR

Chris Sutton was equally unimpressed by the decision.

The former Celtic striker took to social media after the incident and described the decision as “baffling.”

Sutton’s reaction added another layer to the controversy, particularly because the available footage appeared to leave supporters divided over whether the ball had actually crossed the line.

The problem for VAR was that the ball disappeared from the available camera angles at the crucial moment.

And that proved decisive.

WHY VAR COULD NOT OVERTURN THE DECISION

Sky Sports’ James McFadden offered a different perspective during the discussion.

McFadden acknowledged that the ball appeared to stay in play but explained that VAR needed definitive evidence before overturning the assistant referee’s original decision.

With the ball temporarily disappearing from view, there was no conclusive proof that the on-field official had made an error.

That meant VAR had no basis to overturn the decision.

It was a classic example of the limitations of the technology.

VAR can review an incident, but it cannot invent an angle that does not exist.

BOYD AND MCFADDEN DISAGREE

Boyd accepted McFadden’s explanation of the rules but maintained that he personally believed the ball had remained in play.

The debate highlighted the difference between what supporters believe they can see and what officials are legally able to prove.

For Celtic fans, that distinction will offer little comfort.

From their perspective, the ball appeared to remain in play and the subsequent header led directly to a goal.

For the officials, however, the absence of definitive evidence meant the original decision had to remain.

CELTIC STILL GET THE THREE POINTS

Despite the controversy, Celtic eventually secured the result they wanted.

Mika Baur scored his first goal for the club to give Celtic a 1-0 victory over St Johnstone.

The win means Celtic have maintained their perfect start to the Premiership season.

However, the controversial disallowed goal will undoubtedly remain one of the biggest talking points from the match.

And the fact that prominent former Celtic and Rangers players were divided over the decision has only intensified the debate.

ANOTHER VAR CONTROVERSY IN SCOTTISH FOOTBALL

The incident has once again raised questions about the effectiveness of VAR in Scottish football.

Technology was introduced to provide greater clarity and reduce major officiating mistakes.

Yet situations like this demonstrate that VAR still has limitations when the available camera angles fail to provide definitive evidence.

For supporters, that can be incredibly frustrating.

They can watch the incident repeatedly and form their own conclusions, while officials are ultimately restricted by the evidence available to them.

That was precisely what happened at St Johnstone.

Celtic got the three points—but the controversial decision has ensured that the discussion around VAR will continue long after the final whistle.