The latest episode of the 2023/24 cinch Premiership title race did not disappoint. It was a thriller, laced with action and drama. Come the end of the season, Celtic’s 2-0 defeat by Hearts may prove a pivotal act.

There was a five-minute scene at Tynecastle that defined a painful loss for Celtic. On 11 minutes, Adam Idah’s penalty, driven low down the middle, was saved by the legs of Hearts goalkeeper Zander Clark. Then, on 16 minutes, Celtic winger Yang Hjun-jun caught the face of Alex Cochrane with a very high challenge for the ball. It was unintentional – but dangerous. Referee Don Robertson gave a yellow card but on the advice of his VAR John Beaton, the official reviewed the incident and upgraded it to a red. From that moment on, Celtic lost control of this game.

Hearts were clever in the way they managed the remainder of this match, patiently probing away at the Celtic defence. VAR came to their rescue again in the first half – more on that later – but Steven Naismith’s men were worthy of their victory thanks to a Jorge Grant penalty and a crisp Lawrence Shankland strike, his 27th goal of the season. Celtic sloped out of Gorgie failing to capitalise on Rangers’ shock 2-1 defeat by Motherwell 24 hours earlier. They continue to trail the league leaders and Old Firm rivals by two points. Nine matches remain.

Celtic's Yang Hyun-jun watches referee Don Robertson signal he is going to the VAR monitor. The South Korean winger was subsequently sent off.

Hearts have now taken six points from Celtic this season and are a bit of a bete noire for Brendan Rodgers. It was the Jambos who trounced his Invicibles during his first spell as manager but this season’s results are far more significant. “Can we play you every week,” sang the home support. Hearts, now 13 points clear in third place, will be difficult foes again after the split.

Of course, the hosts rode their luck at times. Idah’s penalty, after Cochrane had tripped Yang, was weak. Celtic still carried a threat with ten men and Clark was kept on his toes throughout. Perhaps the most fortunate moment, though, was the decision to award them a penalty on 42 minutes. Tomoki Iwata knew little about the ball coming off his arm as he tried to head the ball away. Robertson was unfussed to begin with too but after a long VAR check, he gave the penalty. Grant kept his cool and showed Idah how to do it with an emphatic finish into the corner, sending Joe Hart the wrong way.

VAR did go against Hearts in stoppage time for the slimmest of offsides calls against Shankland. But the Scotland striker, with national team boss Steve Clarke watching in the stand, was not to be denied. His precise finish on 57 minutes after the ball broke to him off Greg Taylor in the box was the perfect illustration of his ruthlessness in front of goal.

Celtic never stopped trying to get back into the match, but numerically handicapped and without injured talismanic captain Callum McGregor, who watched on glumly behind the away dugout, they did not look like a side capable of staging a grandstand comeback. Kyogo Furuhashi was thrown on half time and gave them more firepower but in the second period, the closest Celtic came to scoring was when the impervious Clark beat away two Idah efforts. The Scotland keeper won their personal duel hands down.

As you were, then, at the top of the table. And there will be more twists to come.

Hearts 2-0 Celtic verdict as five crazy minutes swing VAR-fuelled match and title race back in Rangers' favour