Celtic surprisingly started Jonny Hayes against Rangers on Sunday.
Celtic boss Neil Lennon has told The Scottish Sun that he picked Jonny Hayes over Scott Sinclair and Timothy Weah on Sunday for his ‘natural width’.
The Bhoys hosted Old Firm rivals Rangers at Parkhead on Sunday afternoon, and came out with a 2-1 win as James Forrest grabbed a late winner.
That doesn’t even begin to tell the tale of an action-packed derby, as Rangers equalised with 10 men before Celtic were also a man down due to injuries.
Lennon had used all his substitutes by the time Dedryck Boyata went down with injury, with some feeling that he used his first one far too early.
At half time, Lennon decided to bring off winger Hayes in order to bring on Sinclair, with the Irishman already on a first half booking.
Hayes was a surprise starter ahead of Sinclair and January loan signing Weah, but Lennon has now explained exactly why he made that decision.
Lennon didn’t want to force injury-hit left back Kieran Tierney to overlap a right-footed winger cutting inside, which would have been the case if Sinclair or Weah started.
Hayes was selected for his ‘natural width’, but Lennon felt he had to withdraw him as Hayes suffered a little with the mental side of the Old Firm derby, seemingly suggesting that the size of the occasion got to Hayes a little.
“Jonny gave us a bit of natural width on the left-hand side, whereas with Scotty Sinclair or Timo Weah, they would go on the inside and Kieran would have to make those lung-bursting runs up and down the pitch,” said Lennon. “He looked great for an hour, but then the psychology of the game gets to you,” he added.
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