DEFIANT Martin O’Neill refuses to accept Celtic are out of the title race after the lamentable showing in the 2-0 loss to Dundee United at Tannadice yesterday.
The champions’ EIGHTH Premiership defeat of a turbulent campaign leaves them five points behind leaders Hearts and two adrift of Danny Rohl’s Ibrox side with just seven games to play.
The Hoops, who failed to respond to the challenge of a fired-up Tayside outfit and toppled to second-half strikes from Will Ferry and Emmanuel Agyei, now have the opportunity to take a breather during the international break before going again against Dundee at Dens Park a week on Sunday.
Surveying the wreckage of a dismal display and a crucial reverse, O’Neill said: “I don’t think it’s the end of it, I still think we’re in it.
LOOKING DOWN…Martin O’Neill at full-time at Tannadice.
“We have to win the seven games and we can’t have any inconsistency now.
“That was just not good enough for us and when I say us, I mean Celtic Football Club.
“And not good enough for the fans who were here and disappointing for the fans from a distance. So, not great at all.
“We have to come back, try to get a bit of strength about ourselves and reinvent our character.
“I’ll have a look at the game back.
“I’ll have a look at myself, which is as important as players looking at themselves and see what I could have done.
“Some of you will say I could have done a lot, really, at the end of the day, after the second-half.”
No team has won the crown after losing eight games in one season since the top flight switched to three points for a win in 1994-95.
O’Neill, speaking to the Scottish Sun, continued: “I didn’t know that stat.
NO WAY THROUGH…Kelechi Iheanacho has a shot saved by keeper Ashley Maynard-Brewer.
“I’m just disappointed, naturally. We got ourselves a bit of spirit and determination about the team, which I’ve been saying for the last few weeks.
“And I felt that, so I think that was the disappointment.
“When we fell behind in the game we didn’t show enough to warrant fighting back. It just wasn’t there on this occasion.
“It’s a disappointing result and a disappointing performance – the second-half, particularly.
“I thought in the first-half we had possession, but didn’t really do enough with it.
“For little periods we camped outside their penalty area but they defended in numbers, which is to their credit.”
The interim manager added: “The first goal was going to be vital in the game. They got it and they deserved to win. In the second-half, it just got away from us completely.
“We have to create more and take our chances, but both were missing.
“And, honestly, I wouldn’t mention the pitch because it is the same for both teams.”
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