'Stupid of me' - Celtic ace Mohamed Elyounoussi explains phone mistake after being subbed

Celtic forward Mohamed Elyounoussi has fronted up over looking at his phone having just been subbed by Neil Lennon.

Mohamed Elyounoussi has apologised for going on his phone after being subbed. Picture: SNS

The moment was caught on camera and provoked the ire of both pundit Chris Sutton and manager Neil Lennon.

Elyounoussi had just been subbed around the hour mark for Leigh Griffiths in the 4-1 humbling to Sparta Prague at Parkhead in the Europa League.

Sutton exclaimed that he would fine the player took weeks’ wages.

He said on BT Sport: “What I question is the players commitment. There’s a player in the stands on his mobile phone. That is totally, totally unacceptable.

“That is scandalous. Is he committed to the cause? Is he committed to the club? That is totally unacceptable.

“I would fine him two weeks’ wages for that.”

Lennon said he would “deal with” the matter and Elyounoussi, on loan from Southampton, has held his hands up and explained his mistake.

“First of all, this is unacceptable from me,” he told Norwegian tabloid VG. “I have talked to both the coach and the captain and the case is dead between us.

“The phone is just out of pocket. I have notifications from Milan-Lille, the second match in our group, and I just wanted to check the result in that match.

“In any case, it is stupid of me to put myself in that situation. I lie down and take the punishment I’ll now possibly get.”

The defeat to the Czech side has increased the pressure on Lennon with fans expressing their anger and frustration.