Neil McCann claims Celtic were the beneficiaries of a VAR error involving Artificial Intelligence (AI) after Kyogo Furuhashi’s second goal in their 6-0 demolition of St Johnstone.
The Hoops dominated at McDiarmid Park, putting six past Saints’ goalkeeper Ross Sinclair to maintain their flawless start to the season and secure top spot in the Scottish Premiership.
The victory was ideal preparation ahead of a crucial Champions League clash with Borussia Dortmund at the Westfalenstadion, where Brendan Rodgers’ side will look to cause an upset.
Despite the comprehensive win, McCann suggested Celtic had some luck on their side. He criticised the use of AI technology, claiming it had incorrectly drawn the offside lines in the build-up to Kyogo’s goal.
The Japanese forward eluded defenders Jack Sanders and Kyle Cameron to meet a cross from Greg Taylor, heading home to the delight of Celtic fans.
While McCann praised the execution of the goal, he was sceptical about the VAR decision. Speaking on BBC Sportscene, he said:
“This Celtic side break at speed – and they don’t mess about now. They are so efficient going forward.
“That is a quite brilliant cross from Greg Taylor, but again it’s one of the ones where we are having a go at Artificial Intelligence. That looked slightly offside, the lines are drawn in, and we have to trust them. Nonetheless, it’s a superb header.”
Interestingly, Scottish football does not yet use semi-automated offside technology or AI to assist in these decisions.
Such systems were employed during Euro 2024 and are due to be introduced in the English Premier League, although not until 2025. In Scotland, like in many leagues, the VAR room still manually draws the lines for offside calls.