Martin O’Neill: Celtic still in Scottish Premiership title race despite Dundee United ‘setback’

Martin O’Neill described Celtic’s timid defeat at Dundee United on Sunday as a “setback” but insisted that his side are not out of the Scottish Premiership title race.

Goals from Will Ferry and Emmanuel Agyei condemned O’Neill to his first defeat to Dundee United in 21 matches as Celtic boss in a 2-0 loss at Tannadice and leaves the champions five points behind Hearts at the top and two behind Rangers in second.

Celtic are back on Tayside after the international break to face Dundee at Dens Park – where they lost earlier this season – and while O’Neill accepts no title challenger can afford to drop points at this stage of the campaign, he insists Celtic cannot be counted out of the race.

“In the second half we lost our way completely,” he told Sky Sports. “The first goal was going to be vital in the game and we probably didn’t create enough and maybe we didn’t adjust in the second half to conditions but that’s taking nothing away from Dundee United – they deserved to win.

“The game got away from us, that’s true. Goals win matches and we chased the game a little bit but, even so, we should have been able to do better. This was always going to be a difficult game for us, away here at Tannadice, I’ve never had an easy game here.

“It is a setback at this particular time of the season and you can’t really afford to do that but we are not finished yet.”

Captain Callum McGregor says Celtic’s experience in winning trophies will help in the run-in but called for cool heads in an emotional situation with just seven games of the season remaining.

“We have to stay calm, it is an emotional time but now is the time for calm heads because we have been here before,” he said.

“We know what it takes and we have to be calm. I get it, it is an emotional situation that everyone is in but you have to dissect the game properly then give solutions to that. Then it is about players carrying that out on match days.

“We have a wee break now but then we come back in and the full focus is on the next seven games and by no means are we out of it.

“We are coming towards the end of the season, there are a lot of big games to be played, everyone has got to play each other, so we know there are points there. We have to make sure that we do enough in our performance and in the way we want to play the game to make sure we can go on a run now.”

McFadden: Celtic not out of it but regression is ‘alarming’

Sky Sports pundit James McFadden was in the studio at Tannadice and agreed with O’Neill and McGregor that Celtic are not out of the title race but criticised the club hierarchy, saying the drop-off from last season has been “alarming”.

Celtic supporters remonstrated once again with members of the club’s board after the final whistle. It is the latest in a number of examples of supporter dissent towards the board this season and McFadden does not expect that noise to go away.

“They’re not out of it yet. They’re a team that are used to dealing with pressure, they didn’t cope with the conditions today but there’s still a lot to play for,” McFadden said.

“You can’t rule Celtic out because you know they can win games – there’s no way you can rule them out of the title race just yet.

“You see the reaction from the fans at the end of the game, that’s been something that’s been there all season. It’s not a knee-jerk reaction to a defeat. Kyogo has still not been replaced, [Nicholas] Kuhn not been replaced, certainly not with quality anyway.

“That’s where the frustration is. Celtic haven’t moved forward, they haven’t even stood still, they’ve moved so far back, it is unbelievable from where they were. Where they are now is alarming.

“I know fans of other teams look at the Celtic fans and say, ‘you’re entitled, you’re spoiled, you’re used to winning, take your medicine’, but the position Celtic were in compared to where they are now is remarkable.

“The poor planning and the poor action in the summer is coming home to roost now. The noise from the fans won’t be going away either.”

Sutton: A defining day in the title race for Celtic

Former Celtic striker Chris Sutton labelled his former club as an “embarrassment” this season, and suggested Sunday’s result in Dundee could be pivotal.

“The level of performance hasn’t been there this season,” he said. “Celtic have found a way in recent times – eventually it comes round and bites you on the backside.

“Poor at both ends, fair play to Dundee United, well organised, streetwise and hungry.

“This has been a bit of an embarrassment of a Celtic team this season. Today does feel like a defining day in terms of the title race for Celtic.”

Boyd: Celtic have been papering over the cracks

Former Rangers striker Kris Boyd suggested that there are deep-rooted problems off the pitch at Celtic and believes they had only been papering over the cracks by winning games despite some poor performances.

“We keep speaking about the pitch at Tannadice, Celtic have still got better players. They got sloppy,” Boyd said.

“The amount of times they passed the ball out the pitch and eventually some of them end up hiding and they didn’t want it.

“Celtic have managed to keep themselves in the title race [in recent weeks]. They have lost more games than Hearts and Rangers combined but they are still in there fighting and they have to take a positive from that.

“The angry brigade were back at the end there as well. They are frustrated, it is no good at Celtic right now and it seems like whenever you lose a game of football it explodes, every little problem appears again.

“I’ve always said it – winning games of football at the Old Firm papers over the cracks and that is what Celtic have been doing recently.

“Martin will tell you, there are so many deep-rooted problems at Celtic and that is not just off the back of this result. For a Celtic team that has been dominating Scottish football for so long, the amount of games they have been hanging on in or scoring last-minute goals in, it couldn’t continue and they have been caught short here.

“The next time we’re on air, Glasgow Rangers could be top of the table.”