Neil Lennon: Celtic should be given title if coronavirus ends season early

Celtic boss Neil Lennon says he supports the Scottish FA's decision to suspend all Scottish football due to the coronavirus pandemic

Neil Lennon would expect Celtic to be declared Ladbrokes Premiership champions if the season is brought to a premature end due to the coronavirus crisis.

The Scottish FA and Scottish Professional Football League's joint response group announced on Friday an immediate suspension, with all games - including Sunday's Old Firm derby at Ibrox - postponed until "further notice".

With eight league games remaining, Celtic are 13 points ahead of Rangers having played a game more and are heavy favourites to make it nine successive title wins.

Charles Paterson explains why the decision has been taken to suspend football in Scotland indefinitely in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic

The Parkhead boss referenced Dundee United's 14-point lead over Inverness in the Scottish Championship and Liverpool's apparent romp to the Premier League title - as well as Hearts' struggle at the bottom of the Premiership table - when asked what he felt should happen if the season was scrapped.

"We would be the champions and rightly so," said Lennon. "We are 13 points clear. Dundee United, they would have to be promoted as well.

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"Certainly, if you are talking about the Armageddon of the league being cancelled or stopped, it should go on the average points total which would make us clear champions.

"We are over 30 games into the season, they are not going to take that away from us. Are they going to do that to Liverpool? I would doubt it very much.

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Sky Sports' Charlie Nicholas says he wants the season to reach a natural conclusion but that we must show patience and 'common sense will prevail'.

"I get your point about Hearts but you have to look at average point per game and take it from there.

"If it was to stop now I would doubt very much that they would say it was null and void."

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