NafisaNeil Lennon has offered his view on the ongoing debate surrounding Celtic’s penalty decision, insisting there is now definitive evidence that the call was correct.
The former Parkhead boss admitted that at the time the incident was unclear, with no solid confirmation that Sam Nicholson had indeed handled the ball while attempting to clear it with his head.
However, he now claims a still image he has seen has settled the argument completely.
Lennon told BBC Radio Five Live: “It was inconclusive last night, really, when you see the clips from TV. But there’s a photograph doing the rounds this morning that looks pretty conclusive that it was a handball.
“He didn’t take long to make the decision. He was there for about 20 seconds. I’m not a lover of VAR. I’m not a lover of the handball rule.
“There was so much drama and tension surrounding the game last night. You could feel it in the stands and on the pitch.”
Hearts now require at least a draw on Saturday to secure the league title, but Lennon believes the challenge awaiting them at Celtic Park makes the task extremely difficult.
He added: “I’ve played at Celtic Park at 60,000 at fever pitch. Yeah, it raises your game 10, 15, 20 percent. I think it’s going to be so difficult for Hearts to come and get a result. I think all the momentum and everything is in Celtic’s favour now.”
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