Paul Lambert fires ‘don’t worry about Celtic’ response to Derek McInnes penalty shout

Add as preferred source on Google

Paul Lambert has slated Derek McInnes’ reaction to Celtic’s penalty call at Fir Park.

With the game in its dying seconds, VAR punished Motherwell’s Sam Nicholson for a handball, allowing Celtic to tip the balance in their favour with a winning spot-kick.

McInnes labelled the decision ‘disgusting’ in an extraordinary rant, given that his team had just been celebrating a win in their final home game of the season.

Lambert was involved in many a title race in his time as Celtic captain, and feels that focusing on that decision could cost Hearts.

Paul Lambert: Hearts will lose to Celtic if they play with emotion

Speaking on talkSPORT, Lambert said: “I think if Hearts use the emotion of that to go out at Parkhead on Saturday, they’ll lose the game.

“For me, the damage has been done when Hearts never got the result against Motherwell a few weeks ago, and that’s why they’re in the position that they’re in.

READ MORE: Chris Sutton calls out mainstream pundits for ‘way over the top’ reaction to Celtic penalty

“So everyone’s going to go to this position: Celtic penalty or no penalty. It doesn’t really matter at the end of the day. You deal with it, you get on with it.

“Put it this way. If Gabby was playing there and he was playing for Celtic, he would massively go for the shouts of penalty.

“And that’s what it’s going to be like up the road. But the damage has been done to Hearts, at the minute, from the Motherwell game a few weeks ago.”

He continued: “If Hearts clutch at this and say ‘it’s never a penalty’, they’re going to lose on Saturday. Because emotion’s [taken] over from them.

“The manager of Hearts saying it’s disgusting… Don’t worry about what’s happening at Celtic! Hearts are still in the driving seat. All they need to do is get a draw.”

The game sets up a title decider at Celtic Park on Saturday. Hearts must avoid defeat if they are to deliver the title everybody is desperate for them to win.

What are the rules relevant to Celtic’s penalty against Motherwell?

The handball was ruled punishable due to “touch[ing] the ball with their hand/arm when it has made their body unnaturally bigger. “

As per the rules “A player is considered to have made their body unnaturally bigger when the position of their hand/arm is not a consequence of, or justifiable by, the player’s body movement for that specific situation.

“By having their hand/arm in such a position, the player takes a risk of their hand/arm being hit by the ball and being penalised.”

Additionally, despite talk of the call being ruled as a “clear and obvious error”, referees are also sent to the monitor in the case of a “serious missed incident” relating to the penalty.