Celtic 2-1 Rangers: Neil Lennon angry at Scott Brown treatment
- Published
Watch: Lennon not happy with Brown 'treatment'
Rangers should have had two men sent off during Sunday's Old Firm game, says Celtic manager Neil Lennon.
Ryan Kent shoved Scott Brown to the ground as Celtic's captain tried to prevent him retrieving the ball for kick-off after James Forrest's winner.
But Rangers boss Steven Gerrard, whose side lost 2-1, says Brown "deserved to be punished" after also being involved in Alfredo Morelos' earlier dismissal.
"I'm not happy with the treatment of Scott Brown today," Lennon said.
Morelos reacted to Brown clipping his heels off the ball by striking the midfielder in the face.
"He's been elbowed [by Morelos] and then pushed or punched in the face by another player and really Rangers should have been down to nine men," Lennon told BBC Scotland.
"Ryan Kent, after we scored the second goal, has either slapped or punched him in the face and it's just unacceptable at this level of football."
After the final whistle, Brown was also involved a melee which led to Rangers Andy Halliday being red carded by Bobby Madden.
The Celtic captain received no sanction for that, or for either of the earlier incidents - but was booked for a foul on Scott Arfield - and Gerrard believes "it's only fair that both sides get punished".
"You're playing against a player who loves to antagonise," Gerrard told Sky Sports. "Morelos and Kent are both provoked. The guy who antagonised it all from the beginning deserves to be punished as well."
Watch: Celtic & Rangers players clash after final whistle
'These players just won't give up'
Celtic remain on course for an eighth straight Scottish Premiership title after the derby win moved them 13 points clear of Rangers with seven games remaining.
Lennon's side dominated early on and led through Odsonne Edouard's strike before Morelos' dismissal. Kent dragged Rangers level with a brilliant solo effort in the second half - but Forrest struck with four minutes remaining to snatch victory.
"There was lot of build-up to this game, a lot of emotion. These players have been full-on for the past two and a half years and they just wont give up," said Lennon.
"You can see them dragging themselves over the line. They're a credit to the club.
"With the experience we've got we should have handled moments a bit better. But we galvanised ourselves and scored a great goal."
'Brown thrives on it' - analysis
Former Rangers winger Neil McCann on Sportsound
Scott Brown knows how to get under the skin of opposition players and he enjoys it. He thrives on it. His shoulders are pinned back when Celtic were enjoying that first-half domination. They weren't so pinned back in the second half. That was a spell in the game where we all felt Celtic had been rattled.
He is entitled to go and celebrate with the fans. But the area in which he is doing it is antagonistic. But that's no excuse for Halliday to get involved. Scott looks after himself. He does gamesmanship to a tee.