Alistair Johnston has admitted he was "lucky" to escape a red card during Celtic's thrilling 3-1 derby victory over Rangers last weekend. The right-back's first-half tackle, which caught Mikey Moore on the ankle after he initially won the ball, sparked intense debate among fans and pundits alike.

Rangers manager Danny Rohl hinted that the challenge warranted a sending-off, but the Canadian international survived with just a yellow card. Now, ahead of Saturday's title-deciding clash against Hearts at Parkhead, Johnston has opened up about the incident.

"As a defender nowadays, you have to be so smart with every tackle you make," he explained. "Was I a little bit lucky? Yeah, probably. Was I intending to injure him? No. I was just trying to put in a hard tackle—exactly what every fan on both sides of this rivalry wants their defenders to do."

Reflecting on the moment, Johnston admitted, "I caught him on the top of the foot. In the moment, I thought a yellow card was fair. If this was 10 years ago, I'd say, 'How is that even a foul?' But that's just the game today."

The full-back acknowledged the fine line defenders must walk in modern football. "At the end of the day, am I lucky I didn't get sent off? Probably. But it's football—you need to be able to make tackles. I'm just glad I stayed on the pitch and helped the team win that match."

With the title race heating up, Johnston's honesty adds a layer of drama to an already intense season. For fans looking to gear up like their Celtic heroes, our collection of premium training kits and match-day apparel ensures you're ready for every tackle—on and off the pitch.