Lennon coy over Lafferty stand-off

Neil Lennon hinted that he harboured a grudge against Rangers striker Kyle Lafferty after the Hoops won 2-0 at Ibrox yesterday to go four points clear of their Old Firm rivals at the top of the Clydesdale Bank Premier League.

After the match, which was won with a second-half double from Georgios Samaras, the Celtic boss shook hands with all the Rangers players but had a confrontation of sorts with Lafferty, who had come on as a substitute.

It is believed that Lafferty gloated on his Twitter page after Rangers had beaten Celtic 3-1 at Parkhead in October.

Asked if there was a particular reason for the apparent spat with Lafferty, Lennon replied: “Well, yes, but you might read it on his Twitter page.”

The former Celtic skipper was more enthusiastic in discussing the performance of his Greek striker who gave the Rangers defence a torrid afternoon.

Samaras, not always a favourite of Lennon or the Celtic supporters, opened the scoring in the 61st minute after taking a Joe Ledley pass to round Ibrox keeper Allan McGregor and then clinched the three points from the spot after he had been brought down by Rangers defender Madjid Bougherra.

Lennon said: “I was hoping Samaras would have a big game but didn’t expect him to play as well as that – although I know he can.

“I am delighted for him.

“He had a wee bit of the Eye of the Tiger about him in the last week or so.

“We know he is capable of that but he needs to be more consistent and he knows that. We don’t expect him to play like that every week.

“It’s getting him to do that every one in two games, instead of one in five.”

Samaras is out of contract at the end of the season but Lennon is looking for the big Greek to extend his deal at Parkhead.

He said: “I think he has done himself no harm regarding a new contract.”

The former Manchester City striker admitted he would be happy to accept a new deal from Celtic – and continue in the role of lone striker.

He said: “I want to stay. If the manager has said he wants me to stay then hopefully in the next couple of days or weeks, we will find a solution and keep going together.

“That is my position, the one I like to play and it was a nice feeling to score my first goal at Ibrox.

“My team-mates and me worked really hard and in the second half we were much better than Rangers and deserved to win the game.

“But we are in good shape and we hope that we stay there.”

Lennon appeared to quash rumours that he was set to sign former Rangers striker Kris Boyd from Middlesbrough.

He said: “He’s a goal-scoring striker and we are looking for goal-scoring strikers but we have had no talks with his representatives, no.”