Hearts boss Craig Levein hasn't exactly been Scott Brown's biggest fan since the Celtic captain injured youngster Harry Cocharane. Now, Levein has launched another attack in the war of words between the two men.
According to the Hearts coach, Brown, infamous in the world of football for his fearless (and sometimes reckless) tackling, deliberately got himself booked so that he wouldn't have to serve a suspension during next month's clash with Rangers.
"On that front actually, Scott Brown mentioned last week that he got booked because of me bringing attention to his proclivity to foul people. I disagree with that completely. If Scott didn't get booked against Kilmarnock last week and got booked against St Johnstone then he would have missed the Rangers game," Levein said.
He then went on to say: "I'll leave that to you to deduce. I'm just pointing out things that are obvious. I'm just pointing out as a retort to his statement last week that it was me who got him booked (against Killie). I think you'll find that his intentions were always to get himself booked in that game so he didn't miss the Rangers game."
Levein, who Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers claims is "obsessed" with Brown, has previously hit out at the Scotland midfielder, saying players need "more protection" from him following Hearts' defeat last month.