MARTIN O’NEILL didn’t waste time looking for excuses for this afternoon’s dismal 2-0 loss to Dundee United at Tannadice.
Reflecting on a dire performance from Celtic, the interim manager cut to the chase and said: “We lost our way completely.”
The Hoops had the bulk of the the possession in a goalless first-half with the best chance following to Kieran Tierney, but, unfortunately, the Scotland international left-back blazed the ball wildy over the bar from close range and the hosts breathed a sigh of relief.
It was an awful all-round showing from the Parkhead team and you would be hard pushed to give anyone passmarks.
Callum McGregor and Kelechi Iheanacho were removed from the action before the hour mark and neither of them looked fit enough to cope with the intensity of this encounter with Jim Goodwin’s men snapping into every challenge.
Looking at the performance, O’Neill, speaking to Sky Sports, said: “I thought we had a lot of possession in the first-half.
“We seemed to be camped outside their penalty area. We weren’t able to penetrate the team and very much so in the second-half.
“We lost our way completely. Well, I thought that the first goal was going to be vital in the game.
“We probably didn’t create enough and maybe didn’t adjust to conditions, particularly in the second-half.
“But that’s taken nothing away from Dundee United. They deserved to win.”
The defeat leaves the champions five points behind leaders Hearts and two behind Danny Rohl’s Ibrox outfit with seven games to go.
It was also Celtic’s eighth league defeat of a rollercoaster campaign and any hopes of a fifth successive title are now in jeopardy.
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