Having gone the best part of 3 months unbeaten, by the time this game came around Celtic were in the middle of their second mini-crisis of the season. It began with a 1-0 Old Firm loss to Rangers at Ibrox ten days earlier - Richard Gough scoring and Stephane Mahe being sent off for...well, being Stephane Mahe. That was enough back then.
The derby defeat was hard to take, but what followed 7 days later was worse. Motherwell were the visitors to Celtic Park, and it was the Fir Park side who left with all 3 points, thanks to a 2-0 win. Another defeat, another red card - this time Regi Blinker the man sent for the early bath.
The two defeats left Celtic six points behind leaders Hearts, albeit with a game in hand. More worryingly, Jansen's team were now 3 behind Rangers. Celtic went into the game needing to avoid defeat.
This match at Celtic Park will probably be remembered for two things. First up was the controversial sending off of Paul Gascoigne for raising his hands against Morten Weighorst as they were both chasing down a ball. Looking back on it, the sending off seems harsh, although Gascoigne's second petulant swipe at the Dane was probably the deciding factor.
The second was Alan Stubbs last second equaliser to salvage a point for the Hoops - Marco Negri having given Rangers a lead with only 20 minutes left on the clock. Stubbs' goal would be a major turning point of the season. With one header, a six point deficit was slashed in half - a vital moment in a league title race that would go right down to the last game of the season.
The derby defeat was hard to take, but what followed 7 days later was worse. Motherwell were the visitors to Celtic Park, and it was the Fir Park side who left with all 3 points, thanks to a 2-0 win. Another defeat, another red card - this time Regi Blinker the man sent for the early bath.
The two defeats left Celtic six points behind leaders Hearts, albeit with a game in hand. More worryingly, Jansen's team were now 3 behind Rangers. Celtic went into the game needing to avoid defeat.
This match at Celtic Park will probably be remembered for two things. First up was the controversial sending off of Paul Gascoigne for raising his hands against Morten Weighorst as they were both chasing down a ball. Looking back on it, the sending off seems harsh, although Gascoigne's second petulant swipe at the Dane was probably the deciding factor.
The second was Alan Stubbs last second equaliser to salvage a point for the Hoops - Marco Negri having given Rangers a lead with only 20 minutes left on the clock. Stubbs' goal would be a major turning point of the season. With one header, a six point deficit was slashed in half - a vital moment in a league title race that would go right down to the last game of the season.
