Rangers 1-0 Celtic: Neil Lennon refuses to concede title despite 19-point gap

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Rangers v CelticImage source, Rex Features
Image caption,

Nir Bitton was dismissed just after the hour mark at Ibrox

Neil Lennon has refused to concede the Scottish Premiership title after his Celtic side slipped 19 points behind Rangers following defeat at Ibrox.

The champions - aiming for an unprecedented 10th straight crown - were undone by Callum McGregor's own goal in the Old Firm derby.

It came after Nir Bitton's red card for pulling down Alfredo Morelos, which stunted Celtic's dominance.

"You have got to keep going," Lennon said.

"You can't just say it's over, because there is still a lot of football to be played. We have to be a lot more consistent in the second half of the season than we have been in the first half.

"It may be a pivotal moment - I can't predict what is going to happen - but we have to keep playing like that, keep being consistent, keep winning games and apply as much pressure as we possibly can."

Lennon, whose side have played three games fewer than Rangers, was also unhappy with referee Bobby Madden's decision to send Bitton off, which he argued had a "huge impact" on the game.

"Morelos might have got a shot off but it would have been from a very narrow angle," the Celtic boss said. "It's not even in the box. I thought he was too quick to get the red out.

"It's poor from Nir, but it's not a red card and that changed the course of the game. We had been in full control."

Before the game, Lennon confirmed that defender Christopher Jullien will miss up to four months with a knee injury.

The Frenchman, 26, collided with a post while making a clearance during Wednesday's 3-0 win against Dundee United and left the field on a stretcher.

"It's a hammer blow for us really," Lennon told Sky Sports. "He's very important but it's a bad injury so we're going to lose him for quite a period of time, maybe three to four months."

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