Callum McGregor has said that Celtic’s showing against Dundee United was their worst since Martin O’Neill’s return.
O’Neill has now taken charge of 26 games this season across two interim spells, and the club owe the survival of their title race to him.
But on Sunday, Celtic looked like a team desperately short of ideas. The game may have been played on a dreadful pitch at Tannadice, but the Hoops were well-beaten.
They now sit in third place in the Scottish Premiership title race, but McGregor has his sights set on a run of form.
Should Martin O’Neill take some of the blame for the loss to Dundee United?
Callum McGregor on Celtic’s ‘pretty bad day’ vs Dundee Utd
Speaking after the game, the 32-year-old said: “Over the two spells with Martin and Shaun, I think that’s probably the worst that we’ve been.
“We’ve had a pretty bad day and we have to accept that. The players have been really, really good over the two spells.
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“We haven’t dropped too many points. When you come here, it’s difficult. But like I said, I think we have to look at ourselves. We never did enough.
“We never really created that many chances either. So, it’s one we have to take on the chin. Now we’ve obviously got a wee break and go away, dissect it.
“We have to dial in. There’s a huge seven games and try and be as good a team as what we can be. And hopefully we do enough in those seven games to be where we want to be.
“Listen, time will tell. We’ll see if we need to win them all or not, but I think we have to go on a run. Certainly, you’ve got to win at least five or six to have a good chance. So, listen, we know where we are.
“And I think now’s the time for calm heads. It’s an emotional situation, of course it is. But we have to be calm and understand where we want to be as a team and how we’re going to get there.
“And then, ultimately, it’s the players then carrying that out on the pitch as well.
“It’s about staying calm. I get it. It’s emotional. People will be emotional and angry about the result, none more so than the players. It’s their life in there.
“It’s what they give to the game and what they give to the club. But in a time like this, you need to be calm. You need to understand where the team needs to get to, what we need to do to be successful.
“So, we’ve been here many, many times. And once these games ramp up, once we get back, then we have to try and control as much as what we can do and hopefully go on a run.”
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Callum McGregor’s return from Celtic injury vs Dundee Utd
McGregor made his return from injury in the game, having missed Celtic’s last two matches.
He isn’t the only man that O’Neill has been expecting back. Arne Engels is expected to return after the current international break.
Julian Araujo has returned to Bournemouth after an unidentified injury; the extent of his lay-off isn’t known.
Speaking of right-backs, Alistair Johnston has travelled to meet up with the Canada squad for their final international window before their home World Cup, as he edges closer to a long-awaited return.
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