'Wow, No way' - Keith Hackett staggered by latest twist in Hearts red card controversy

Hearts midfielder Marc Leonard will miss their next Premiership game against Motherwell after an appeal against the red card he was shown last weekend was dismissed.

Leonard was sent off in the closing stages of Hearts’ 2-2 draw with Livingston on Sunday for a challenge on Robbie Muirhead that was adjudged to have denied a goalscoring opportunity.

Referee Kevin Clancy initially gave the Birmingham City loanee a yellow card for the foul, but upgraded it to red after being recommended to review it by VAR.

Derek McInnes revealed this week that the club had appealed the decision, but a disciplinary panel upheld the red card after fast-tracking his tribunal hearing on Wednesday.

Hearts will now be without Leonard for their final regular-season clash against Motherwell, but Keith Hackett has insisted that they should feel hard done by after the appeal was thrown out.

Keith Hackett shocked as Hearts’ Marc Leonard appeal loses

Hackett exclusively told Football Insider after Sunday’s game that Leonard was wrongly sent off against Livingston.

Former PGMOL chief and FIFA referee insisted that the distance from the goal and covering defenders should have been taken into account, as the foul did not fulfil the requirements for DOGSO.

Speaking exclusively to Football Insider after the appeal was dismissed, Hackett could not hide his frustration for Hearts.

He said: “Wow. I am certain that Hearts will be very disappointed with the justification that the red card for the denial of an obvious goal scoring opportunity appeal was denied.

“The foul took place a few yards into the opponent’s half. The position of the foul, close to the halfway line, put in serious doubt that the fouled players’ probability of controlling the ball and making a run and shot on goal with half the field to cover was frankly unlikely.

“That’s one of the four criteria points in the fail category. Then I look at the potential of defenders to put in a challenge, and I am satisfied that the forward would have been challenged for the ball.

“The appeal should have been allowed. If I was Hearts, I would want to know who is sitting on the panel that came to this decision. No way is this offence DOGSO (denial of a goal scoring opportunity).

“The word ‘obvious’ is in the law for a reason. This incident involving Hearts was some way off fulfilling the criteria of that.”

Beni Baningime or Blair Spittal – who should replace Leonard?

McInnes is now set to choose from either Baningime or Spittal to start in midfield next to Cammy Devlin against Motherwell on Saturday.

The former has better tackling and general defensive statistics in the Premiership this season, while he has also been a better dribbler than his Jambos teammate.

Spittal, however, comes out on top in nearly every attacking metric this season, with more chances created, assists and shots on goal in less minutes played.

Motherwell have been impressive in 2025-26, but have lost three of their last four matches, so Hearts should definitely want to take the game to Jens Berthel Askou’s side.

With that said, it would surely make more sense for McInnes to start Spittal next to Devlin, as he is more of a like-for-like with Leonard and has played more regularly in recent weeks.

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