Neil Lennon has said that Celtic’s 4-0 win over Hearts was the best performance since he took charge as manager.

Goals from Scott Brown, Victor Wanyama,Joe Ledley and Gary Hooper saw Celtic extend their lead at the top of the Scottish Premier League table to four points. Lennon said that the team had put pressure on the sides behind them in the title race.

"Probably (the best) in my time as a manager,” he said.

“I thought we were devastating, powerful, quick on the counter-attack and the intensity and quality of their play was exceptional.

"There is a long way to go but they are growing and that was a big test for us.

"I feel for Hearts a bit because they lost some big players before the game but they caught us on a good night.

"It was all there tonight, the intensity, the atmosphere, the pace of the game, a good pitch to play on, I think the players relished the challenge.

"That is the standards we have set ourselves but I don't expect them to play like that every week. But we wanted to put pressure on those chasing us."

Hearts thought they had opened the scoring just moments before Brown’s goal and Lennon admitted that he felt referee Willie Collum had made the wrong call when ruling that Stephen Elliott’s header had not crossed the line.

"I think we copped a break," he said. "Judging by the cameras it looks like it is over the line and the only disappointing thing was we didn't deal with the initial header from the corner.

"Psychologically it might have given Hearts a lift. The ironic thing is we go down the other end and score the goal.

"But the reaction I got for the rest of the game was magnificent."

IN DETAIL

• Hearts 0-4 Celtic