Hearts fume at penalty decision and are rocked by serious injuries as Celtic given hope ahead of Rangers match

Greek playmaker Alexandros Kyziridis went down in the 66th minute after a challenge from Tawanda Maswanhise inside the box and while referee Steven McLean stopped the game and was asked to review the incident by VAR Greg Aitken, the official decided there wasn't enough to merit a spot-kick.

Hearts head coach Derek McInnes was left incensed by the decision and said McLean had a "poor game". He said: "At the time I thought it was a penalty with the way everybody reacted. Greg Aitken's done his job well to bring the referee over, because he should bring him over. It should be a penalty kick.

"The referee had a poor game tonight. We can all have poor nights but he was poor throughout and the biggest decision of the lot of them, he got wrong. It's so important he got that right.

"The explanation to me is that yes, there's contact, but not enough contact. Everybody who has played the game will tell you there doesn't need to be a lot of contact. Why would Kyziridis go down? It's a penalty kick and I'm disappointed we don't get given it.

"I don't know if it's because of the [Landry] Kabore one a few weeks ago [against Motherwell[, which was a stonewall penalty, but it got brought up again this week. It's a terrible decision. He had a bad night, Steven McLean. I'm not here to batter him with it but he should see it as we all see it, it's a penalty kick."

Kyziridis was also left scratching his head at the decision. "I just ran to the ball and I felt something with my leg, otherwise I would never have jumped. For me, it's a clear penalty, but now the game is done so we cannot change anything. When he went there [to the monitor], I thought from my inside I had a chance he would give it, and I was surprised that he didn't, but it is what it is."

Hearts now lead the league by four points, but should second-placed Celtic defeat Rangers on Sunday, the gap will be trimmed to a solitary point. The Jam Tarts have two games left to play - at home to Falkirk and away to Celtic.

They also suffered two serious injuries after defender Craig Halkett and midfielder Marc Leonard were taken off with Achilles injuries. McInnes confirmed both players are out for the rest of the season.