Michael Stewart Spot On Celtic Hearts Penalty Verdict

Former Hearts midfielder and Scottish Football pundit Michael Stewart was clear about why Celtic were awarded a penalty and Hearts were not this afternoon at Celtic Park.

With Celtic awarded a penalty for a James Penrice handball and a Liam Scales incident being overruled, the Hoops emerged as 2-0 winners in an exciting Game from start to finish.

Stewart said: (BBC Sportsound), “I can completely understand where the Hearts manager is coming from. But the difference was that it probably hits Liam Scales far enough up the arm that it negates anything else. It hits his shoulder so it’s not a penalty regardless of all the rest of it.

“Penrice, the comparison that Allan Preston was talking about with Connor Barron. Barron’s arm was really tight in against his chest. Penrice’s is not.

“Look, it’s a sore one and tough one from a Hearts perspective. It’s completely understandable you are going to try and draw comparisons. But the difference was that it hits Scales on the shoulder and it hits Penrice flush on the hand.”

Stewart, despite being a former Hearts midfielder, consistently maintains an impartial view of Football, and his analysis remains unaffected by past allegiances.

While some may disagree with him, his objectivity and fairness make him one of the top pundits in Scottish Football.

With Steven Naismith, known for his post-match meltdowns, the former Rangers striker lived up to his reputation this afternoon after Celtic edged out Hearts in an impressive win.

The result comes as perfect preparation for the Hoops as they gear up for Champions League action against Slovan Bratislava on Wednesday night at Celtic Park.