Hearts' Alex Cochrane lifts lid on what Kyogo Furuhashi told him about Celtic penalty last weekend

Hearts defender Alex Cochrane has revealed even Celtic’s Kyogo Furuhashi didn’t seem to think the contact between the pair was behind the controversial penalty missed by the Scottish champions in their 4-1 win at Tynecastle last Sunday.

Hearts Alex Cochrane says players from both sides were "baffled" over the penalty awarded to Celtic for an apparent foul on Kyogo Furuhashi by the defender. (Photo by Mark Scates / SNS Group)

There was bemusement from most observers when both referee Nick Walsh and VAR adjudged a spot-kick offence had been committed after the striker put his body in front of the full-back in moving to meet a ball into the box. As Cochrane stood his ground to avoid bumping Furuhashi, there was then no more than the slightest coming together as the Japanese forward lost his footing.

The 23-year-old endured a difficult afternoon on his return from six weeks out with an ankle injury and that extended to the confusion over the decision among those at the centre of it. “Even on the pitch people were baffled,” said the Englishman. “I said to Nick Walsh would they check it, and the next thing I knew the check was over. Kyogo said to me it was for something else and no-one really knew what was going on. If you look at it back you can see he has come into me a little bit.

“I had already messed up, the ball should never have got there in the first place on my behalf. But then I knew he was going to try and do something, so I have pulled away. So it’s frustrating to see the check done so quickly. I have said before I am a fan of VAR but you have seen in the Premier League there are borderline correct decisions where you’re thinking ‘is it?’ or ‘is it not?’ Fans and players have discussions about it but it’s one of those things, you have to get on with it when it’s given.”