Killie player irks Strachan

GORDON STRACHAN took a veiled swipe at Kilmarnock skipper Manuel Pascali after Celtic stormed to the top of the Clydesdale Bank Premier League with a 2-1 win at Rugby Park.

A Scott McDonald double – he netted either side of a Danny Invincibile leveller – took the champions three points clear of rivals Rangers, who lost to Inverness. An exciting game in Ayrshire, however, momentarily turned nasty in the second half when Hoops midfielder Aiden McGeady was booked after a foul on Killie's Jamie Hamill.

Pascali became embroiled in a shoving match in the aftermath along with players from both sides, and afterwards the Celtic midfielder was booed by the home fans every time he took possession.

Strachan refused to confirm he was referring to Pascali but there was little doubt that it was the Italian who had irked him. He said: "The Killie players continued it on and one in particular loves to be in an argument here all the time. He's not even invited to some of these arguments but he seems to always get himself into it."