Kenny McLean insists giving Billy Gilmour stick is out of order, after the Norwich City loanee was targeted in the 3-0 defeat at Crystal Palace.

McLean conceded the early spot kick at Selhurst Park that set the Eagles on their way, but it was his Scottish international team mate who was singled out by some sections of the travelling support at the final whistle.

City’s scheduled Premier League fixture at Leicester City on New Year’s Day has been called off due to Covid-related and injury absences in the Canaries’ camp, but McLean hopes the Chelsea youngster is supported when Dean Smith’s squad do return to action.

“Being an older player and playing next to him I feel some responsibility in that. I don’t appreciate him being singled out. At all,” said McLean, interviewed by Sky Sports. “Maybe the expectation that everybody has put on him, but he is a young boy doing everything he can to help us. We need him going forward because he is something that is needed at this football club.

“He would be the first to admit he is not doing as well as he can. But nobody is. As a young player getting singled out I would rather it was a more experienced player like myself.

“An experienced player can take the brunt of that a little bit more. He won’t obviously have experienced something like this in his career. This is his first full season in the Premier League.