Hearts edged four points clear at the top of the Scottish Premiership after a 1-1 draw at Motherwell but lost key duo Craig Halkett and Marc Leonard to season-ending injuries and were furious to be denied a second-half penalty.
It means Celtic will have the chance to reduce the deficit to just one point if they defeat Rangers in Sunday’s Old Firm, while Derek McInnes’s side could still win a first league title since 1960 at Tynecastle against Falkirk on Wednesday depending on how Celtic fare.
Hearts fell behind for the fifth consecutive game when Stephen Kingsley bundled an attempted clearance into his own net, but Lawrence Shankland equalised before the break.
The big talking point came in the 66th minute when substitute Alexandros Kyziridis went short to receive a corner and went down under the outstretched leg of Motherwell’s Tawanda Maswanhise in the box. Referee Steven McLean was sent to the pitch-side monitor by VAR but stuck with his original decision.
“It should be a penalty kick, the referee had a poor game tonight,” McInnes said. “We can all have poor nights, but he was poor throughout and the biggest decision of the lot of them he got wrong, and it’s so important that he gets that right.
“The explanation to me is, ‘Yes, there’s contact, but I don’t think there’s enough contact’. Everybody will tell you that’s played the game there doesn’t need to be a lot of contact, but if there’s contact and you’re going at that speed and you’re fouled… it’s a penalty kick, and I’m disappointed it’s not been given.
“He had a bad night, Stephen McLean, and I’m not here to batter him with it, but I think if he should see that, as we all see it, and it’s a penalty kick.”
Kyziridis told Sky Sports: “I ran to the ball, felt something in my leg, otherwise I would never jump. For me it is a clear penalty. But now the game is done, and we cannot change anything. We need to be focused on Wednesday and that’s all. I thought the referee would 100 per cent give it. It is what it is.”
McInnes also confirmed centre-back Halkett and midfielder Leonard will play no part in the final week of the season as both face lengthy spells on the sidelines with separates Achilles injuries. Halkett was stretchered off and Leonard was later seen on crutches after he was brought off.
“Unfortunately for us it’s been a sore night for us with Leonard and Halkett’s injuries, really bad injuries, which is so unusual and we have to contend with that,” McInnes said. “Obviously both boys are a bit distraught.”
