Ally McCoist has told Celtic they do not scare anyone right now and warned Brendan Rodgers’ side they cannot keep living on stoppage-time miracles.
The Rangers legend watched his old club hammer Hearts 4-0 on Saturday afternoon, then saw Celtic scrape past Kilmarnock with a 94th-minute Julian Araujo winner just hours later. It was the third consecutive match the Hoops needed a goal after the 90th minute to take something from the game.
“They are not scaring anyone at the minute,” McCoist said on talkSPORT on Sunday morning. “They are getting away with murder.”
The numbers back him up.
Celtic have now scored eight goals in the 90th minute or later in the Premiership this season, more than any other team. Four of those have come in their last three league games alone.
Against Livingston on Wednesday, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain smashed home a 91st-minute winner. Four days earlier, Junior Adamu rescued a point in the Scottish Cup against Dundee with a 97th-minute equaliser before Celtic eventually won in extra time.
Saturday’s drama against Kilmarnock was the most alarming yet. Trailing 2-0 with 12 minutes left, Celtic looked dead and buried until Nicolas Kuhn pulled one back, then Araujo produced a stunning solo run and finish deep into stoppage time.
Why the Late Goals Are a Red Flag
Brendan Rodgers admitted after the game his team made life “harder than it should have been.” But McCoist believes the pattern is becoming a serious problem.
“You cannot keep relying on that,” the former Rangers striker said. “Sooner or later it will bite you. Teams will look at Celtic and think, ‘We can get at them, we can frustrate them, we can have a right go.’ That’s exactly what Kilmarnock did.”
Kilmarnock boss Derek McInnes said afterwards his side “deserved something” from the game and felt aggrieved they left empty-handed. St Johnstone manager Craig Levein made similar comments after his team pushed Celtic all the way before losing to a 96th-minute Daizen Maeda goal earlier in the season.
The Title Race Just Got Tighter
Rangers’ demolition of Hearts means Philippe Clement’s side have cut the gap at the top to just three points, with Celtic still holding a game in hand.
But the manner of the victories matters as much as the points right now.
Rangers have won their last five league games and scored 17 goals in the process. Celtic have dropped points against St Johnstone, Dundee United, and now needed late heroics three times in eight days.
McCoist believes the psychological shift is already happening.
“Rangers will be looking at that thinking, ‘We are coming, we are right on your shoulder now,'” he said. “And Celtic will be looking over it nervously because they know they are not playing well.”
Rodgers Knows the Problem
The Celtic manager has repeatedly spoken about his team’s need to “control games better” and “kill teams off earlier.” After the Kilmarnock win, he praised the character but admitted the performance was nowhere near good enough.
Sources close to the dressing room say players are aware the current style is unsustainable. Several senior figures held clear-the-air talks after the Dundee Cup tie, demanding higher standards in possession and more clinical finishing.
Celtic’s expected goals (xG) in the last three matches tell the story clearly:
| Opponent | Celtic xG | Opponent xG |
|---|---|---|
| Dundee (Cup) | 1.8 | 2.1 |
| Livingston | 1.4 | 1.1 |
| Kilmarnock | 1.9 | 2.3 |
They are being out-chanced in every big game.
What Happens Next
Celtic face a pivotal week. They travel to face Aberdeen at Pittodrie on Wednesday night, live on Sky Sports, before hosting Rangers in the League Cup final on Sunday.
Two more sloppy performances and the narrative flips completely.
Ally McCoist, as always, will be watching closely and ready to deliver more home truths.
He finished his talkSPORT rant with a line that will ring in Celtic ears all week:
“They are champions, they are a very good side, but right now they are there for the taking.”
The message is clear. Keep relying on late miracles and someone will make you pay.
