Celtic knocked off top spot after frustrating draw with Hibernian

Celtic fans had little to cheer after ending their silent protest during a goalless home draw with Hibernian.

The Celtic Fans Collective had organised “12 minutes of silence from your 12th man” to continue a protest against the board and its transfer dealings. A banner declaring “your silence is deafening” was raised in the standing section in reference to unanswered questions from an open letter.

The singing resumed but Hibernian managed to keep the majority of the stadium quiet for much of the game and their result allowed Hearts to move top of the Premiership.

Kelechi Iheanacho and Marcelo Saracchi both hit the bar for Celtic and the hosts created enough chances but their finishing evaded them.

Hibs remain unbeaten in the Premiership this season and have now only lost three league games in 10 months, two of those defeats coming at Celtic Park.

The game was further evidence that Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers is still looking for a settled formula up front.

He started Daizen Maeda in an unfamiliar right-wing role after the Japan international struggled at centre-forward in Wednesday’s 1-1 draw with Red Star Belgrade. His half-time replacement in Serbia, Iheanacho, was handed a start following his Europa League goal while Sebastian Tounekti also started on his home debut.

Hibernian head coach David Gray brought Grant Hanley and Jack Iredale into his back three following a fourth game without victory as Rocky Bushiri missed out for personal reasons.

The home ultras ended their protest with a chant of “all Celtic fans against the board” but their team took longer to get going.

Hibs enjoyed a decent spell of territory before Celtic created the best chance of the first half on the counter attack 20 minutes in. Maeda squared first time following Luke McCowan’s diagonal ball and Iheanacho flashed a shot off the bar.

The striker soon curled high and wide from a half chance after Arne Engels won possession before Saracchi hit the top of the bar from a difficult angle.

Celtic continued to create chances. Maeda was denied by a Raphael Sallinger save and a Hanley block and the goalkeeper palmed away long-range strikes from Callum McGregor and Iheanacho.

Hibs brought on Josh Campbell after losing Jamie McGrath to what looked like a shoulder injury, and they twice threatened in the closing stages of the half. Martin Boyle forced a save on the break before Warren O’Hora scooped the ball over the bar from close range following a set piece.

Engels and Iheanacho passed up good chances in the opening stages of the second half before the latter was inches away from connecting with Saracchi’s driven ball across the goalmouth. The striker did convert a similar ball from Tounekti but was flagged offside.

That was Iheanacho’s final act and the introduction of James Forrest midway through the half saw Maeda briefly move into a central role before being replaced by Johnny Kenny. Michel-Ange Balikwisha came on for Tounekti to make it an all-new frontline.

Sallinger produced a good stop from substitute Paulo Bernardo’s powerful strike and the Hibs goalkeeper saved his best for the final minute of stoppage time as he dived to claw away Kenny’s header.