Celtic left McDiarmid Park with all three points on Wednesday night, but the scoreline only tells half the story.
Martin O’Neill’s side edged past St Johnstone 1-0 thanks to Mika Baur’s first goal in the hoops.
The Moment That Sparked Outrage
Yet it was a disallowed goal involving Haissem Hassan that left many Celtic supporters furious.
The Egyptian forward thought he had doubled the lead when he turned the ball home in the second half.
Officials ruled that the ball had gone out of play before Kasper Høgh headed it back across the six-yard box.
VAR confirmed the decision after a check.
Replays Fuel the Debate
Replays circulating among fans suggested the ball may not have fully crossed the line.
Several angles appeared inconclusive at best.
Celtic supporters online were quick to brand the call another example of VAR working against their team.
One widely shared post simply read “VAR had a shocker AGAIN against Celtic.”
How the Only Goal Arrived
The game itself was tight and often scrappy.
St Johnstone defended deep and looked to frustrate the league leaders.
Celtic controlled possession but found clear chances hard to come by in the opening 45 minutes.
The breakthrough finally arrived in the 52nd minute.
Hassan was again involved, sliding a low ball across the face of goal.
Baur arrived unmarked at the back post and simply could not miss.
Baur’s Big Night
It was the German midfielder’s first goal since joining Celtic earlier this summer.
The finish was calm and clinical under pressure.
Baur has taken time to settle into the physical demands of Scottish football.
Nights like this will only accelerate his adaptation.
Celtic’s Perfect Start Continues
The result means Celtic remain top of the Scottish Premiership with a perfect record.
Five wins from five have given them 15 points and a three-point cushion over Hearts.
O’Neill’s side have scored freely and looked solid at the back for most of the campaign so far.
This was their least convincing performance of the season, yet they still found a way to win.
Tactical Shape in Perth
Celtic lined up with a familiar 4-3-3 shape that has served them well.
Sam Johnstone made his debut in goal after coming in for Viljami Sinisalo.
Dane Murray started in central defence with Liam Scales.
Kasper Høgh led the line after returning from a short injury absence.
St Johnstone sat in a compact mid-block and tried to limit space between the lines.
They succeeded for long periods and restricted Celtic to few clear openings before the goal.
Fan Reaction Online
Social media lit up the moment the Hassan effort was chalked off.
Many Celtic fans claimed the decision was far from clear and obvious.
Others pointed to recent tight offside calls that also went against the champions.
The sense of frustration is growing among sections of the support.
St Johnstone fans, understandably, had no complaints.
They felt their side had earned a hard-fought clean sheet until Baur’s intervention.
What the Disallowed Goal Meant
Had Hassan’s strike stood, Celtic would have been in complete control.
Instead the game stayed alive and St Johnstone pushed for a late equaliser.
Celtic had to dig in during the final stages.
Liam Scales picked up a yellow card for a cynical foul as the home side pressed.
Baur himself was booked deep into stoppage time for handball.
It was a nervous finish that the visitors ultimately survived.
League Context and Form
Celtic’s early-season form has been impressive by any measure.
They have taken maximum points from five league fixtures and look well set for another title challenge.
The only blip came in European qualifying, where they exited the Champions League path after a dramatic collapse against LASK.
That disappointment appears to have focused minds domestically.
Martin O’Neill has steadied the ship since returning to the dugout.
His experience is showing in the way the team manages tight away games like this one.
St Johnstone’s Resistance
St Johnstone will take encouragement from their display.
They limited Celtic’s usual fluency and created a handful of moments of their own.
Goalkeeper Toby Steward made several important saves.
The home defence stayed organised even after falling behind.
Manager Simo Valakari will feel his side deserved more than nothing from the contest.
A point would have been a fair reflection of the effort.
VAR Under the Microscope Again
Scottish football continues to wrestle with the technology.
Tight calls involving the ball going out of play remain among the most contentious.
Without definitive camera angles, officials are left making judgement calls that rarely please everyone.
In this instance the decision went against Celtic, and the reaction was predictable.
Hassan himself looked devastated when the flag went up.
His involvement in the build-up to Baur’s goal showed how influential he is becoming.
Looking Ahead
Celtic now turn their attention to a busy run of fixtures.
A League Cup meeting with Rangers at Ibrox looms on the horizon.
Maintaining this perfect league record will be far harder once the fixtures intensify.
Nights like Wednesday, where they win without playing at their best, are the mark of champions.
The disallowed goal will be debated for days.
Whether the ball was fully out or not, the result still stands.
Final Thoughts From Perth
Celtic left Perth with three points and an unbroken winning run.
They also left with another talking point that will dominate the airwaves.
Baur’s first goal for the club deserves celebration.
Hassan’s near miss will linger longer in the memory of many supporters.
In the end the champions did what champions do.
They found a way to win when the performance was not at its sparkling best.
The debate over that second-half decision will continue.
For Martin O’Neill and his players, the only number that matters is the one on the scoreboard.