

Manager Neil Lennon concedes his record “doesn’t count for anything at the minute” as Celtic’s poor form continued with a Scottish League Cup defeat at home by Ross County.
Before Sunday’s 2-0 defeat, Lennon insisted he had the “full support” of chief executive Peter Lawwell and major shareholder Dermot Desmond.
But Premiership champions Celtic have won just two of their past 10 matches.
“Today’s result wouldn’t have helped, put it that way,” said Lennon.
“There is an expectation at this club, there’s a demand for excellence and there’s a demand for wins – I am fully aware of that.
“I am not standing here like the happy clapper saying everything’s OK, because it’s not. But we’ll do everything we can – if I’ve still got the opportunity to do that – to turn things around.”
As a player, former Northern Ireland midfielder Lennon won 11 trophies with Celtic and nine more have been delivered over two spells as manager.
However, they trail leaders Rangers by 11 points in the league as they chase a record 10th successive title, albeit with two games in hand.
And it is the first time Celtic have suffered four successive home defeats since January 1958. Afterwards, there was a heavy police presence as hundreds of fans gathered outside to protest.
‘There’s a lot of soul-searching’
On Thursday, Lennon takes his already-eliminated side to face AC Milan after three defeats in four Europa League group games.
“We are in a bad moment,” he added. “It’s not a question of coming out and criticising the players because they are all in it together.
“I thought the atmosphere before the game was excellent. I thought the body language was good but we keep shooting ourselves in the foot. Sometimes, on a run like this, your legs feel a bit heavier, your thinking is not too clear.
“We are more or less the same squad who were rampant last year and they have not been in any consistent vein of form. We are not playing anywhere near as we can and that’s on me.
“There’s a lot of soul-searching for me and my staff. I don’t want to put too much on the players because they are devastated in there.”
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