Martin O'Neill adamant controversial Celtic penalty was 'clear cut' and claims there were two offences

The veteran Hoops boss was over the moon as Kelechi Iheanacho's dramatic last-gasp winner set up a final day title shootout

Martin O'Neill insists Celtic's title hopes rest on the laps of the Gods after a dramatic injury-time winner set up a sensational final day shootout - as he claimed there were TWO offences for which they could have been awarded a last-gasp penalty.

The Hoops were on course to drop points on the penultimate Premiership night after a rollercoaster 100 minutes of football.

And with rampant Hearts storming to a 3-0 win over Falkirk, the Jambos looked to have one hand on the title heading to Parkhead this Saturday.

But Kelechi Iheanacho's incredible last-gasp penalty secured a spectacular 3-2 win - and kept the Parkhead side's five-in-a-row dreams alive heading into the final day.

O'Neill admits his heart rate was sky-high at full-time with Celts now just one win from a record-breaking 56th title.

The veteran gaffer said: "They’ll have to calm me down! We’re in tomorrow morning. The lads who played won’t do anything and will just wander around and we’ll get ourselves psychologically ready.

"We’ve done this before, we’ve played four games in eight days and travelling around Europe, going to Ibrox a couple of times. Whether we win it or not is in the lap of the Gods."

Fizzing Motherwell boss Jens Berthel Askou branded the VAR penalty one of the worst decisions he's witnessed in his career after Sam Nicholson was controversially penalised for a handball.

O'Neill said his Celtic side should've had a spot kick in the first-half when Daizen Maeda was wiped out by Calum Ward.

The Northern Irishman said on Sky Sports of the controversial injury time incident: "We got a penalty which looks as if it’s pretty clear cut. Has he given it for the handball? There was an elbow on top of that too.

"The lads have a little monitor. It’s very small. I can’t really see it. I need another pair of glasses to see it. The lads thought it was a handball, an elbow as well too. I felt we had a penalty in the first half but VAR cleared that one.

"We have to win the game. Hearts don’t but at least we’ve taken it there. It’ll be a big day. It’s nice to take it into the final game which looked a long way off five or six weeks ago."

O'Neill was relieved to finally put the demons of Fir Park behind him - 21 years after the heartache of Helicopter Sunday.

He said: "Absolutely. In my own crappy little way it gets some sort of vindication. It wasn’t really the same because that was the final day and we got beat but in another life I will definitely visit Motherwell again."

While Iheanacho's dramatic winner sparked wild celebrations in the away end and a pitch invasion, O'Neill knows it'll take another heroic effort on Saturday to pip the Jambos to top spot.

He added: "A monumental effort from the team and the supporters who were phenomenal and kept us going.

"They were cheering us on at 2-2. Major effort against a very good Hearts side. I think we have got a chance, we’re at home. The atmosphere will be fantastic.

"We have to win the game. We knew this anyway, otherwise it was done for. It’s exciting, taking it into the final day and the players have good belief they can do it."

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