The substitute Kelechi Iheanacho kept his cool amid the tension as Celtic capitalised on more indiscipline from 10-man Hibernian to move level on points with the leaders, Hearts.
Hibs’ cause was dented in the 20th minute when Jamie McGrath became their fourth player in three games to be sent off.
It looked as if Celtic were on course for a straightforward victory when Daizen Maeda broke the deadlock in the 41st minute, but the captain, Joe Newell, scored a contentious equaliser for the hosts in first-half stoppage time.
Celtic got themselves back in front in the 72nd minute when Iheanacho – a key figure in recent wins over Dundee and St Mirren – again popped up with a vital goal.
Martin O’Neill’s side had to endure some nervy moments in the closing stages but held on for a fourth-consecutive league win to move four points clear of third-placed Rangers and behind Hearts on goal difference. Hearts and Rangers play each other at Tynecastle on Monday.
Many Hibs supporters wanted their team to lose in order to damage their bitter rivals Hearts’ hopes of winning the league and this situation was reflected by the sight of thousands of empty seats and a low-key atmosphere in the home end.
The commitment of their players, however, was illustrated early on as Warren O’Hora defiantly charged down a shot in the box from Benjamin Nygren. Celtic had started purposefully and Maeda blazed over after being released by Callum McGregor.
The visitors’ early superiority helped earn them a numerical advantage in the 20th minute as McGrath slid in recklessly on Johnston and caught the Canada international on the ankle as he tried to drive forward. The Republic of Ireland midfielder was initially booked before the video assistant referee (VAR) advised a pitch-side review. It was the third time in successive games Hibs had been reduced to 10 men in the first half.
Celtic camped in the opposition half thereafter, probing for an opening. Their pressure paid off in the 41st minute after Johnston played a one-two with Nygren on the right and fizzed over a perfect low delivery for Maeda, who knocked the ball in from three yards out.
The hosts equalised in first-half stoppage time. Nicky Cadden’s cross was not cleared properly by either Nygren or the goalkeeper Viljami Sinisalo and Newell scooped in the loose ball from seven yards. The ball appeared to roll off Newell’s arm before he shot but it stood after a lengthy VAR check.
With tension rising in the away end, Iheanacho – barely three minutes after entering the fray – chested the ball down and fired home after Arne Engels headed on Kieran Tierney’s corner.
After the match O’Neill said he believes a draw between title rivals Hearts and Rangers in their meeting on Monday night would be the best result for Celtic. “I will be watching it, I want to see what it’s like,” O’Neill said. “Even if we won the rest of the games, we’re not guaranteed to win the league, because if Hearts won all their games, they’ve got a better goal difference than us.
“Today, with Hibs down to 10 men, had we maybe got a second goal before they scored, then it might become a different issue [in terms of goal difference]but as it turns out, it was very edgy towards the end. So I genuinely don’t know. Maybe a draw. With a draw, at least people drop points.”
O’Neill was philosophical about the contentious award of Hibs’ equaliser after the ball appeared to come off Newell’s arm before he scored, but said, “I probably would have a different answer had we lost the game.”
The manager, who hailed his “super impact player” Iheanacho, was frustrated that Celtic allowed themselves to be pushed right to the end despite playing 70 minutes against 10 men. “We had to win today, it’s as simple as that,” he said. “I think we played better when they had 11 men than we did when they had 10. We got the second goal and then Hibs had nothing to lose.
“It would have been lovely if we’d got a third goal, but overall I’m delighted to have won. Just a nervy ending to a game that I think we might have been our own worst enemies in.”
The Hibernian manager, David Gray, lamented the debilitating impact of having a player sent off in the opening 20 minutes once again. “A lot of deja vu in terms of going down to 10 men again,” said Gray. “I thought Celtic started brightly, they played with real intensity, and then I can’t defend the decision for the red card.
“I don’t think there’s malice in it. It’s not intentional, but it’s a definite dangerous tackle, a definite red card. Again, I can’t criticise the players that remained on the pitch, because they gave absolutely everything.”
