Celtic appeal Auston Trusty red card - with defender facing nightmare suspension run

The centre-back was sent off following a VAR intervention during Celtic’s 2-1 defeat by Hibernian on Sunday and will miss three Premiership games unless Celtic’s appeal succeeds.

Trusty is in line to sit out trips to face Rangers and Aberdeen as violent conduct carries a two-match ban. He would also miss the visit of Motherwell because it is his second red card of the league campaign.

The 27-year-old was sent off by referee Matthew MacDermid after video assistant Grant Irvine flagged an incident involving Hibs midfielder Jamie McGrath as the pair jostled at a corner. Trusty struck down on McGrath’s arm with his hand.

On-loan Brentford defender Benjamin Arthur came on for his debut following Trusty’s dismissal. It was the 20-year-old’s first appearance in league football.

O’Neill played Dane Murray in central defence during a 2-0 win over Falkirk when Trusty was suspended following his recent red card against Hearts. Former Arsenal left-back Kieran Tierney is another potential option if Trusty’s appeal fails, having played in a three-man central defence for club and country.

Celtic manager Martin O’Neill had not appeared hopeful over an appeal on Sunday. He said after the game: “I’ve just had a word with the referee. He said he was going to just have a word with the two players then VAR intervened and said it was violent conduct.

“You can’t do this if that’s the rules now. It doesn’t matter if someone is holding on to you. You can’t, in an attempt to break away, you can’t thrust down in the manner in which he did.”

O’Neill did not even anticipate an appeal at that stage. “Personally, I wouldn’t have thought so, myself,” he said. “I don’t know. Obviously the referee has explained to me that’s what VAR said, it was violent conduct. I don’t think anyone will change their minds about that.”

Hibs head coach David Gray revealed McGrath had been in pain after the incident, although he completed the game. “You can’t lift your hands with that aggression,” he said. “That’s violent conduct and a clear and obvious red. Jamie has an issue with his shoulder and almost put it out so it shows how hard he’s hit him.”