Neil Lennon has insisted that Hibs were up against 12 men at Celtic Park yesterday after his side lost 4-2. The former Celtic captain and manager was furious that a tackle from Filip Benkovic on Emerson Hyndman went unchecked by referee Don Robertson. "We knew we were playing against 12 men as well which is very difficult," said Lennon. "I thought the referee was abysmal. How Benkovic doesn't get a yellow card and [Darren] McGregor does is beyond me. "He has taken Hyndman completely out of the game. We get a free-kick on the edge of the box, no yellow card. He says he's not going near the goal but it doesn't matter. The intent is just to take thee player out and then we got flagged for offside from a defensive tackle and we are breaking.
"The Benkovic one for me is borderline red and he gets nothing. He took Hyndman completely out and he knew completely what he was doing. There is no intent to play the ball so it baffles me why that is not a yellow card. I am not hear to get players sent off but I am just looking for the ref to do his job properly." And Lennon also rubbished the talk of Hibs being genuine title challengers given the vast financial disparity between the sides.
"I am sick of hearing this title contention stuff," he said. "They have a budget of £60m, they have a £9m striker. I have got free transfers and rejects from other clubs who are playing brilliantly for me and I am really pleased with what I saw in the second-half. But over a 38-game season it is very difficult to maintain that consistency, especially against the quality that we faced today."
Celtic assistant Chris Davies was involved in a verbal spat with Lennon and Hibs assistant Garry Parker in the aftermath of Celtic's fourth goal but Lennon was irked at being questioned on the confrontation.
"Did you ask Brendan about that? Why are you asking me?" he said. "We'll keep it to ourselves. It will sit for another time."
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