Celtic title lifeline no 'grand conspiracy'

[BBC]

We can breathe again. We're still in it.

After 96 minutes on at Fir Park on Wednesday night Celtic were all but out of the title reckoning, so it's a huge relief to be back in the mix.

My initial response to the late drama was Auston Trusty had gone down easily, and I was screaming at him to get back up so we could take another throw-in.

But the more the replays were shown, the commentary team were saying "Oh, hold on a minute I think there's a hand here," and so it proved.

The timing, intensity and occasion has magnified everything but it's a penalty and I think it's quite clear. The only guy in the world that really knows is Sam Nicholson.

Derek McInnes has fuelled the narrative that 'everyone's out to get' Hearts. Why would anyone at the SFA want Celtic or Rangers to win it more than Hearts?

Hearts have come so close and they've still got a big shot at it on Saturday, but there's no grand conspiracy here, it's just football playing out.

Hearts' record against Celtic this season is very impressive but that record isn't against Martin O'Neill's Celtic.

O'Neill's Celtic drew 2-2 at Tynecastle and they've now got the chance to get the job done in front of 59,000 Celtic fans, a handful of Hearts fans.

I have confidence in my team. I think Celtic will get the job done on Saturday.

It's been exciting, it's been up and down, it's been horrendous at times for Celtic, but we're somehow still in the mix.

I can't wait until Saturday and I hope the narrative moves on from the handball, it's been and gone. It's now a straight shootout for the title and that's as exciting as anyone could hope it to be.

Tino can be found at The Celtic Exchange