Martin O'Neill's Celtic mantra stutters as Dundee United threaten to end 34-year cycle

The champions had looked on course for a second league defeat of the season when first-half goals from Zachary Sapsford and Neil Farrugia cancelled out Camilo Duran’s opener. However, a double change from manager Martin O’Neill ensured they rescued a 2-2 draw thanks to Liam Scales’ header.

Pressure had mounted on O’Neill and his players after three successive defeats in all competitions last month. Difficult questions were posed to the veteran boss amid the 1-0 home defeat to Rangers on September 20. Some, he’d confess, were ones he’d have to ask himself.

Pondering which way to turn next, many felt the mood had shifted towards a parting of the ways. As it turned out, O’Neill reaffirmed his commitment to leading the team only a week later, with the 74-year-old saying he was “raring to go” and ready to address Celtic’s slide.

“We have to try and win football matches. This is what the club is based on,” he told the club’s social media channels. While Europa League form has still offered plenty of posers, with their power on the continental stage continuing to diminish, three successive league wins had hinted that Celtic were back on track domestically.

Worthy winners in games against Motherwell and Hibs, they sandwiched a thumping 7-1 win against Hearts in between. However, the aforementioned pair are rock bottom of the Scottish Premiership form table of late. The visit of a rejuvenated Dundee United side was a challenge to O’Neill’s ‘win games’ mantra.

Despite failing to win at Celtic Park for 34 years, head coach Jim Goodwin was confident of ending their barren run after taking his side on a five-game unbeaten run, including three wins in the past four outings. Losing 4-0 when the sides met in the early weeks of the campaign in the Premier Sports Cup, the Tangerines have since shown a marked improvement, confounding pre-season predictions.

O’Neill kept faith with the side that won 2-1 at Hibs on Sunday, though Canadian full-back Alistair Johnston was missing from the bench after aggravating a hamstring issue at Easter Road. The visitors made just one change from their 3-2 win over Aberdeen, bringing in Farrugia in place of Australian winger Daniel Bennie.

Perhaps as expected, it was the home side who started in the ascendancy, with Hogh heading over the bar after three minutes. Goalless in 12 games before the clash, the Denmark international was a little too eager to latch onto Kieran Tierney’s left-wing cross, and was ruled offside anyway.

Liam Scales went close moments later when his glancing header sailed inches wide of the bottom left-hand corner. Meanwhile, Rangers loanee Lyall Cameron had Dundee United’s first shot on target when Sam Johnstone was forced to push his in-swinging corner over the bar.

However, just as the away side began to settle, Celtic opened the scoring when they took full advantage of a misplaced pass from Bert Esselink. The away side were able to temporarily clear the danger, but there was little they could do about Duran’s close-range finish, with the striker poking home Hogh’s layoff in the area.

Dundee United should have levelled on 23 minutes when Farrugia’s teasing cross was met by Jesse Randall with force. Johnstone was equal to it, though, pulling off a strong save to block the goal-bound effort. Celtic didn’t heed the warning though, failing to close down another dangerous cross, and this time Sapsford made no mistake with a deft header into the bottom corner on 28 minutes.

Goodwin’s side silenced the home crowd just three minutes later when Farrugia took advantage of hesitant Celtic defending to fire into the net. The home side were booed off at the break; Hogh and Osmand were withdrawn in favour of Haissem Hassan and Jota. The aforementioned duo both gave the hosts a boost, with a jinking run and drive from Jota testing in the United goal before his Egyptian teammate stung the palms of Jack Walton with a rasping drive.

O’Neill’s double change paid off with 25 minutes remaining, when Scales nodded home Jota’s cross to level the scores. The assist was the Portuguese fan favourite’s first goal contribution since his strike in the 5-0 Scottish Cup semi-final win over St Johnstone in April 2025. Despite raining pressure on the visitors though, the Celtic attack was unable to break down a stubborn United backline who clung on for a point.

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