The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Celtic Park clash bitten by the Beast
DUNDEE: Dark Blues’ trip to face champions wiped out by big freeze
Dundee fans were spared a battle with the “Beast from the East” as their match against Celtic was postponed due to the heavy snow.
The Dark Blues were due to face the champions at Celtic Park last night.
However, with the weather making roads treacherous and more snow forecast, common sense prevailed and the decision to call the fixture off was taken at 9.30am.
A statement from the Dens club read: “Tonight’s match against Celtic has been postponed.
“The SPFL have advised that this is in view of the current weather disruption and road safety concerns. A new date will be announced shortly.”
Indeed, all three of the scheduled Ladbrokes Premiership games were postponed because of heavy snowfall, with Hibernian’s clash with Hamilton and Motherwell’s game against Hearts also victims of the whiteout.
The Scottish Professional Football League made an early decision and there were no objections from the six clubs involved. An amber weather warning has been in place for much of Scotland, with police advising people not to travel.
Mannus continued: “The last two games (before Rangers) we’ve been really good and defensively we haven’t given away a lot of chances. And we’ve created chances ourselves.
“We need to get back to doing what we did on Saturday and also what we did against Celtic as well.
“In the first half (on Tuesday night) we weren’t good enough. We were disappointed with that and the second half was a bit better. At the end they won 4-1 but they only had one other attempt apart from that.
“So it’s disappointing they’ve taken nearly all the chances they’ve had.”
Rangers’ opener came from the penalty spot after referee Steven McLean ruled that Mannus had brought down Alfredo Morelos in the box.
The Northern Ireland international reflected: “I didn’t think it was a penalty. I felt the ball touch my leg. He’s touched it first and it’s touched my leg and then we’ve gone into each other.
“So for me it’s not a penalty then. What am I meant to do? Just move out of the way for him once it’s touched my leg. We were looking at the replay to see if it was clear that it did touch me. I felt it did after he hit it but we couldn’t see if it was clear on the replay.
“But I was certain it did, so for me as it hit my leg it was a corner and not a penalty.
“I said to the referee that it’s hit my leg after he’s hit it. I don’t know if he couldn’t see it and it wasn’t clear that it did that.
“For me it’s not a penalty and that changes things.”
As for the free-kick award which led to Sean Goss giving Mannus no chance from 20 yards, he noted: “I didn’t clearly see what’s gone on but everyone in our changing room didn’t think it was a free-kick. I’ve not seen a replay but again it’s another decision that’s gone against us.
“The second goal is good play from them but our line was maybe a bit off in terms of trying to play him offside or whatever.
“In saying that, over the course of the first half we still weren’t good enough. But at the same time two of their goals, we feel the penalty wasn’t a penalty and the free-kick wasn’t a free-kick. That takes away two of their goals.”