Jota Celtic winner WASN'T offside insists former EPL referee as double Aberdeen complaint quashed

Former top-flight referee Dermot Gallagher has backed Willie Collum and his refereeing team's controversial decision to allow Jota's match-winning goal to stand at Pittodrie on Wednesday night.

Celtic maintained their one point Premiership lead over arch rivals Rangers with a 3-2 win over Aberdeen but things were looking dicey when, having led 2-0 thanks to the Portuguese star and Matt O'Riley, they were suddenly pegged back.

Goals from Dons pair Christian Ramirez and Lewis Ferguson brought the home side level but not for long as Jota would strike again a minute later.

He looped the ball past Gary Woods for the winning goal in the Granite City, but Stephen Glass and the Dons support argued Liel Abada was obstructing David Bates in the build up to the goal - and that he was also standing in an offside position when he received the ball.

Ex-EPL whistler Gallagher reckons only the introduction of VAR in Scotland would truly reveal if there was a foul on Aberdeen defender Bates in the build-up while he insists there was no offside.

Gallagher told Sky Sports News: "This is really interesting.

"If you look at it from the start, Abada is in an offside position - there's no doubt about that.

"He starts to come back, and I think when the ball is headed forward, (Ross) McCrorie at the bottom of the pitch is playing him onside.

"So it's not offside.

"Then it defaults back to, 'Do you think Abada fouls Bates?'

"It's an on-field decision rather than the assistant's decision for offside.

"Referee Willie Collum decides it is normal physical contact and allows the goal. I think it's going to be debatable.

"All in all, unless you've got VAR, where you can stop it and use freeze frame, you have to accept these things will happen."