O’Neill: no bad blood between me and Levein
The fallout from Sunday's explosive league meeting between the two sides has been felt all week, with both managers taking opposing view-points on one of the major flashpoints in the game.
Levein invited the media to view the club's own footage of the match, claiming the pictures show Celtic striker John Hartson elbowing Andy Webster in the face in the opening minutes of the game.
O'Neill retaliated on Friday by arranging a press screening of his own at which he insisted freeze-framed images actually show Webster hitting himself in the face after being barged into by Hartson.
Despite the difference in opinion, O'Neill insists his professional relationship with Levein has not been damaged.
"Not at all," he said. "Craig was setting out to try and prove that his player was elbowed. In the first instance it doesn't look good, but if people take the time to look at it freeze-framed, I think they would come to the same conclusion as me.
"I spoke to Craig yesterday. He felt his player had been wronged and he took the stance accordingly. I probably would've done the same."
Sunday's game was also marred by other incidents involving supporters of each club. A Hearts fan was detained by police after Celtic goalkeeper Rob Douglas was struck on the head with a coin.
Television pictures also showed two Celtic supporters spitting at Hearts goalkeeper Craig Gordon one of the fans later turned himself in to the Parkhead club. But O'Neill is hopeful that fans and players will ensure that next month's Scottish Cup clash will be no more hostile than previous trips to Tynecastle.
He added: "It's been a hostile place in recent times anyway and I don't imagine that will change.
"You would want people to behave accordingly at the game and the players know we have a better chance of winning the game and staying in the cup competition if we have 11 players on the field."
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