Hearts boss Derek McInnes calls controversial Celtic penalty 'disgusting' with Scottish Premiership title race going to final day
Hearts boss Derek McInnes slams decision to award Celtic a 100th-minute penalty at Motherwell which changes title-race picture before final-day showdown at Celtic Park; Hearts lead Celtic by a point with title set to be decided when they meet on Saturday, live on Sky Sports
Wednesday 13 May 2026 23:50, UK
Hearts boss Derek McInnes has called the penalty award for Celtic's last-gasp winner at Motherwell "disgusting".
With Celtic's game at Fir Park ticking into the 100th minute and level at 2-2, Hearts were primed to be crowned champions at Celtic Park on Saturday lunchtime, live on Sky Sports, having just beaten Falkirk 3-0.
As it stood, Celtic would have needed to beat Hearts in a final-day showdown by three goals or more to overcome a goal-difference gap. Hearts were looking big favourites to secure their first title in 66 years.
But instead, a controversial penalty was awarded to the defending champions following a VAR check, with referee John Beaton judging Motherwell's Sam Nicholson to have committed handball when a long throw was launched into the box.
Kelechi Iheanacho converted the spot-kick for Celtic with the last kick of the game - and their 3-2 win means they face league-leaders Hearts with just one point separating the sides.
But did the ball hit Nicholson's hand or head?
In the Sky Sports studio, former Rangers striker Kris Boyd was adamant the ball hit Nicholson's head and McInnes was also convinced the penalty shouldn't have been awarded.
"I think it's disgusting. I don't think it's a penalty kick," McInnes told Sky Sports. "But we're up against it, we're up against everybody and we'll be ready for Saturday.
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"There were two more shouts for a penalty kick at our game at Motherwell. If I'm Motherwell, I'm really disappointed with that having seen it again. I think it's so poor that they've been given that penalty.
"They've been very fortunate on that side of it and we have to realise we're up against everything.
"We need to just go and deal with the game on Saturday."
Was the penalty decision correct or not?
As the long throw came in, Nicholson jumped up with Celtic's Auston Trusty to try to head the ball.
Nicholson's elbow was raised but then pushed further up by Trusty's shoulder as they jumped up together, with his hand up near his own face.
"If it hits him on the hand, his arm is up and raised," said former Celtic striker Chris Sutton on co-commentary.
But pundits in the Sky Sports studio weren't convinced the ball did hit Nicholson's hand.
"For that to fly off his head at this pace, if it hits your hand it will drop in front of you - it won't fly off [like it did]," said former Rangers striker Kris Boyd.
Former Hearts striker and manager John Robertson said: "I don't know if it has hit his hand, I think it is the head. His hand is up and if it has hit his hand, it is a penalty."
Former Hearts midfielder Paul Hartley said: "The power on it takes it for a throw-in. I didn't see too many Celtic players appeal for a penalty; I just thought it was a throw-in.
"His hand is up but it has clearly come off his head. That is a header. The view is quite difficult. They [Celtic] have got lucky."
O'Neill: Penalty 'pretty clear cut' | Askou: It's shocking
The decision also split the Celtic and Motherwell managers.
Celtic boss Martin O'Neill was convinced it was a penalty, and argued that even if it wasn't handball, Nicholson elbowed Trusty.
"Obviously, we got a penalty, which looks as if it's a pretty clear cut," O'Neill said. "He's given it for the handball, and also an elbow on top of that there as well.
"Obviously, I'm delighted for the team and delighted for the supporters."
In contrast, Motherwell boss Jens Berthel Askou said: "I think the big question is, what are we even doing here, when things like that happen? I'm in total shock. I thought I'd seen it all this year, but apparently I haven't. It's shocking, it's a shame for the game.
"I think we did everything we could and should to finish off. Really strong at Fir Park this season, finish where we started, in a great game of football between two teams who had good spells, both teams, during the game.
"I think coming back from 2-1, we did that really, really strongly. It felt totally unreal, and looking at it on the TV footage, no matter how you read that situation, I can't see anywhere where you can find a paragraph in the rulebook where it can lead into a penalty.
"Even if he touches with his fingernail, it's because there's contact when he goes up, his arm is here, then he gets pushed into it, so it would never be a penalty anyway.
"Let's say he actually did touch his hands, which I can't see, no matter what angle I look at... Also, you can see the way the ball gets power, where the kid connects with the head and has a lot of power when it goes through. It's a crazy thing to be part of, and I think the game deserved a lot better than that."
