Celtic fans were left furious with Greg Taylor after his involvement in conceding a goal during their 5-1 Champions League victory over Slovan Bratislava at Parkhead.
Despite a commanding performance with goals from Liam Scales, Kyogo Furuhashi, Arne Engels, Daizen Maeda, and Adam Idah, Taylor’s error gifted the visitors a consolation strike.
Kevin Wimmer scored for Bratislava following a poor clearance by the 26-year-old left-back. Although Wimmer’s goal was a stunning finish, curling the ball into the top corner with the outside of his foot, it was Taylor’s misjudgement that set it up.
As the ball was lofted over Celtic’s defence, Taylor opted for a volleyed clearance instead of a simple header, launching the ball straight to the opposition.
While Celtic cruised to a comfortable win, fans were quick to point out that mistakes like Taylor’s could prove costly against stronger opposition.
At the highest level, errors of this nature can be the difference between winning and losing, and supporters took to social media to express their frustration with the defender.
Celtic fans, who have generally been impressed with Taylor’s consistent performances under Brendan Rodgers this season and last, were particularly disappointed that his error denied the team a Champions League clean sheet.
The left-back, who has been a regular and reliable performer, came under fire, with fans labelling him “shocking” and “terrible” during the game.
Despite his overall solid contributions, the slip-up reminded many that at the elite level of European football, even the smallest of errors can be punished.
For Rodgers’ side, the emphatic victory was a strong start to their Champions League campaign, but the lapse in concentration serves as a warning for future fixtures.
