FURIOUS Neil Lennon says that former Rangers defender Maurice Ross owes Celtic an apology after comments he made about the team and individual players after last weekend’s Old Firm game.

Ross, now a coach at Motherwell, was a guest on the BBC when he said the Celtic line-up was the weakest he had seen for 20 years, before going on to criticise Lennon’s choice of formation in the 2-0 defeat and lambast Leigh Griffiths and Albian Ajeti for lacking in fitness at this stage of the season. Ross also commented on the level of Shane Duffy’s wages while on loan at the club from Brighton.

That led Fir Park manager Stephen Robinson to reach out to Lennon and offer his own apology for the comments made by a fellow club employee, but Lennon wants to hear some contrition from Ross too for his ‘embarrassing’ remarks.

“I was surprised and very disappointed,” Lennon said. “Stephen Robinson contacted me to apologise profusely. He found it embarrassing. Sometimes you are guilty by association and it’s nothing to do with him.

“I think Motherwell, as a club, have really good people there and they found it embarrassing as well. And to be honest with you I found the comments embarrassing for Maurice, rather than for anyone else. It’s on him.

“He’s working, he’s an employee of another Premiership team and I don't think he should be making any comment at all on any other team or any other players.

“The comments, in particular, on Ajeti, on Griffiths, on the money that Shane Duffy may or may not be on, I think was pretty abysmal.

“There is a professional standard, a professional etiquette, a professional respect and I think Maurice was lacking in all three of those.

“I don’t think he owes me an apology, I think he owes my players an apology, I think he owes my coaching staff an apology and I think he owes my club an apology. I think he owes his own club, that employ him, an apology.”

Lennon meanwhile revealed that Odsonne Edouard would still be unavailable for tonight’s Europa League group stage opener against AC Milan as he undergoes further tests during his recovery from Coronavirus, although the striker may be available for the weekend trip to face Aberdeen.

Ryan Christie will however be back in the squad this evening.