Celtic

Callum McGregor believes the return of Celtic "difference maker" Jota can be crucial for the club this season.

The 27-year-old winger, working towards full fitness after an 18-month injury lay-off, came off the bench for the fourth time this season on Wednesday night and swung in the cross for Liam Scales to head the equaliser against Dundee United.

Captain McGregor was pleased to see Jota make such an important contribution and is certain there is more to follow.

"Obviously, he's a top player, he has been for us over a couple of spells and great to see him back," the midfielder said.

"He's a real talent and certainly someone who makes us better. We can give him the ball and he can do special things with it.

"So, hopefully we keep him fit. He's enjoying being back and we're enjoying having him back.

"He's one of these guys that loves playing football, loves being on the ball, loves making things happen.

"So again, when you've got a player like him, you try to serve him the ball as much as you can.

"He can be the difference maker for you in tight games."

McGregor also backed striker Kasper Hogh, who was replaced by Jota at the break having failed to find the net again, albeit he assisted Camilo Duran for his close-range opener.

McGregor said: "Obviously he can score goals. He's scored goals at a really high level as well.

"So we have to respect that and it's the same thing. It's trying to make the game more consistent for guys like him, the strikers, the wingers, that we can get them in the most effective areas.

"Sometimes you just need a goal to hit off you and then the floodgates open.

"He's come in with a big price tag. There's obviously a lot of expectation, but it's our job to protect him as well and make the game as easy as it can be for him so that he can get his goals. So yeah, we're all in it together.

"We're working hard with him and we back him to get goals."

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It's now 14 games and counting since Kasper Hogh last netted for Celtic.

His hat-trick in early August at Rugby Park - which remain his only goals for the club - is a far cry from the £11m striker's current scoring struggles.

Hogh set up Camilo Duran's opener in Wednesday night's 2-2 home draw with Dundee United before being substituted at half-time.

His 45-minute shift also included two key passes, one shot and three touches inside the United box.

It was something of a surprise when he was taken off - especially as two wingers in Jota and Haissem Hassan were introduced at the break.

"Hogh has been the whipping boy for how much he costs and obviously there's a lot of pressure on him," former Celtic winger Aiden McGeady tells BBC Scotland.

"But he then goes off and Martin O'Neill brings two wingers on because he essentially started with three strikers last night again in the forward line.

"And then the two wingers come on and there's about 15 crosses in the first 15 minutes of the second half. And you feel a bit sorry for Hogh. That's why he was bought and then he's not playing.

"O'Neill seems to keep making substitutions at half-time, which shows he doesn't know his best starting 11.

"The performances aren't great, but the team are managing to get results. I just think the performances have to be better."

Hogh has a fait bit of catching up to do if he's to fulfil manager O'Neill's prediction he will score 20 goals this season.

"He just needs that one goal and it will start to ease the pressure," said former Rangers and Kilmarnock goalkeeper Cammy Bell on the BBC Scottish football podcast.

"I think last night he looked as if he had a better game. I was quite surprised he came off as early as he did.

"You've got to think Hogh will come good at some point."

Michael Grant, Scottish football writer for The Times, believes Hogh's "finishing has been poor" and he "looks like the game is always just out of his reach".

We asked for your views after Premiership leaders Celtic drew 2-2 home to Dundee United.

Here's what some of you said:

Brian: Same team selection, same problems. It seems the management team have no plan B, the midfield lacks balance, the captain has lost the physical ability to cover the areas he needs to. Why isn't Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain being given the opportunity to ease the burden on Callum McGregor? Kasper Hogh needs wingers to supply him with the ball, not two centre forwards who are being asked to play as wingers.

Tam: Every Celtic game, I've got my head in my hands wondering what is going on. We just seem to get everything tactically wrong and opposition teams exploit it. Then comes the ill-thought substitutions that always seem to replace the most productive players. Sadly Martin O'Neill has had his time, for which we are all eternally grateful. But time for new blood.

Andy: Frantic is the best word for it. Zero composure on the ball and everyone charging forward leaving us vulnerable at the back. Liam Scales continues to be the weakest link. Yes he did well for the goal but had an error-strewn game. Every team targets his area at set-pieces and it works for them. Credit to Utd, they had 10 behind the ball and Celtic are not good at breaking that down. Going to be another long season and hard to watch at times.

Alistair: Yet another frustrating night for us. There is a clear lack of organisation and leadership in that backline. Every time United got into the final third, we looked in trouble. The midfield three were bullied all night long, perhaps due to their predictability. Im losing my patience with Hogh and Haissem Hassan, although it wasn't their worst outings in the Hoops, they both have significant flaws. Ultimately, you can't concede two goals and expect to win.

Dylan: Was at the game, was a very uninspiring performance, weak in the midfield and defensive side of the game and lacked creativity going forward. The football has been poor for a very long time.

Paul: Celtic were lucky to draw against an in-form United side, and are a team devoid of any real consistency and simply going through the motions right now. The lack of goals from Hogh is a real concern and his all-round performances are lacking the quality for a player worth £11m. Defensively, the players continue to leak goals due to the opposition being unmarked in the build-up play, something that has to be addressed by the coaching staff.

Watch the best of the action as Dundee United draw 2-2 at Celtic to maintain their unbeaten their unbeaten run and prevent the champions extending their lead at the top of the Premiership. Available to UK users only.

Celtic manager Martin O'Neill indicates it will be some time before winger Jota, 27, starts games after only recently returning from long-term injury. (Scotsman - subscription required, external)

O'Neill believes the point picked up in Wednesday's 2-2 draw with Dundee United might prove to be a precious one. (Sun, external)

And O'Neill explains forward Kasper Hogh, who set up Celtic's opener, was withdrawn at half-time to get two wingers on the pitch against United. (Record - subscription required, external)

Dundee United manager Jim Goodwin did not want to over-celebrate picking up a point at Celtic Park. (Courier - subscription required, external)

Thursday's Scottish gossip

Dundee United came close to securing their first win in 52 visits to Celtic Park since 1994 as they prevented Martin O'Neill ending a year in charge with a victory with a 2-2 draw.

Celtic's second-half pressure could not produce a winner, but the Northern Irishman's side remain four points clear at the top of the Scottish Premiership after Hearts and Rangers also shared four goals and we would like to hear your views.

Read the match report.

Send us your thoughts.

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Celtic manager Martin O'Neill tells BBC Scotland he believes his side did enough to take all three points in their 2-2 draw with Dundee United.

"I thought second half we were very, very strong - and yet maybe we could have conceded," he says. "We could have scored a couple of other goals.

"We fell asleep and conceded the goal, then another one. Half time allowed us to regroup and I thought the second half was very strong.

Asked if only six clean sheets in 24 games was a concern, O'Neill replies: "You are always going to look at goals you concede and think you can do better. Sometimes we just give the ball away in important positions.

"In saying that, [Haissem] Hassan has caused havoc in the second half and we should be getting on the end of one or two.

"I think we just have to move on and it's a big match against Falkirk on Sunday."

Kheredine Idessane
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

It was striking to see the names written down side by side when the Parkhead treatment room started to empty.

Alistair Johnston, Cameron Carter-Vickers and Jota. Three big players for Celtic being nursed gently back into the fold as we head perilously close to 2027.

That they were all in the building on Jan 1 2023 - by the end of August 2021, in fact, for the latter two - tells its own clear story.

Well over three years since the big Aussie left for Spurs, Celtic are still reliant on key pillars of the team that Ange built.

Postecoglou can't lay claim to Callum McGregor, James Forrest and Antony Ralston. He inherited them from Neil Lennon when he moved from Japan five-and-a-half years ago but revitalised their games.

Examine any Celtic matchday squad and the captain's name is invariably still the first on the teamsheet, with veterans Forrest and Ralston often warming the bench.

After several years gorging on Champions League income of around £30m per season, should Celtic not significantly have moved on?

Admittedly, Jota did only return after moves to Al-Ittihad and Rennes didn't work out. The mercurial winger's arrival from Benfica first time around was part of a period of super-smart recruitment under Postecoglou: Kyogo Furuhashi, Daizen Maeda, Reo Hatate, Matt O'Reilly, Liel Abada, Josip Juranovic, Joe Hart.

Compare that with some of Celtic's recent arrivals. The drop-off is staggering, with one or two notable exceptions. Benjamin Nygren and Camilo Duran can take a bow and a free pass.

Mika Baur's capture may also turn into a shrewd investment. Just ask Jurgen Klopp, who has given him his first two Germany caps.

Transfers are notoriously hit and miss. While big-money signings Kasper Hogh and Haissem Hassan may come good, what should supporters make of Joel van den Berg, Jordan Lotomba, Sam Johnstone, Oliver Sorensen, Shim Mheuka and Landon Emenalo?

The latter four are loanees. January brought short-term fixes like Tomas Cvancara, Joel Mvuka and Junior Adamu. In the wake of the Kairat Almaty fiasco, Sebastian Tounekti and Michel-Ange Balikwisha cost around £10m.

Celtic's demise started, of all places, in the Allianz Arena. The club has never really recovered from Bayern Munich's last-minute Champions League equaliser in February 2025.

Now they can't buy a win at home in the Europa League against Celta Vigo and Ferencvaros.

And yet Celtic will be at least seven points clear at the top of the league on Sunday if they beat Dundee United and Falkirk.

Domestic domination appears entirely unaffected by European underachievement. If the club is serious about bringing in top-class talent to rival the likes of Carter-Vickers and Jota, simply winning the Premiership won't cut it much longer.

Tino
Fan writer

There's a slightly strange thing happening with Celtic. Well, there's quite a few strange things, but let's stick to the football for now.

Because if you look purely at the league table and the results, there isn't a huge amount to complain about.

Nine wins from our opening 10 league games is an excellent return. It's only the third time in the past 10 years Celtic have collected 27 points or more from their opening 10 fixtures.

And yet, if you've watched Celtic across those games, and especially when you factor in our European performances, not many supporters would argue we're playing particularly well.

The strange thing is, both of those things can be true.

Winning ugly is still winning

Our domestic results absolutely deserve credit and Sunday's win at Easter Road was another good example.

Celtic went behind, the conditions were difficult, the football wasn't pretty, but Martin O'Neill's side found a way to collect another three points.

And that's an important quality for any successful team to have.

Teams don't win league titles by playing beautiful football every week. There will always be difficult afternoons, awkward away trips and games where you simply have to dig in and find a way to win.

Celtic are doing that consistently. But equally, nine wins from 10 shouldn't prevent us asking why the team still looks so unconvincing at times.

The problems haven't disappeared

Europe has probably exposed those shortcomings more than anything.

When the standard of opposition has increased, some of the problems we've discussed for weeks have become much harder to ignore.

The lack of control in midfield, the defensive vulnerabilities, and the difficulty we have imposing ourselves on better opposition.

Even domestically, there have been matches where Celtic won without looking particularly comfortable.

Sunday at Easter Road was one. Narrow victories over St Johnstone and St Mirren are other examples.

So where does that leave us? Well, probably somewhere in the middle.

Celtic are clearly doing plenty right. But there's also a strong feeling this squad has another level to reach. And if performances don't improve, there's always the danger some of these narrow victories become draws or even defeats.

Is there more to come?

Perhaps that's where we should find encouragement.

Because Celtic are continuing to win games despite looking like a team with plenty of room for improvement.

Jota and Callum Osmand are already bringing something different to our attacking play, while Shim Mheuka and Landon Emenalo will be hoping to make their own impact as the season progresses.

And with Yang Hyun-jun hopefully not too far away from returning to the squad, Martin O'Neill should soon have even more options.

If he can start getting performances closer to the level of the results, suddenly the overall picture begins to look a lot more encouraging.

So perhaps Celtic's league form is being slightly underrated. But I'm not convinced the performances are.

Results are only half the story

It's perfectly reasonable to offer constructive criticism, even when the team is winning.

In fact, sometimes that's exactly when those conversations should be happening, rather than waiting until points are dropped and the problems become even more obvious.

Right now, there's a fairly clear gap between Celtic's results and performances.

The challenge for O'Neill and his players is to start closing that gap without sacrificing the consistency that's put us in such a strong domestic position.

Because for all the issues we've seen, and all the frustrations so far this season, Celtic still have an opportunity to establish themselves as the team to beat in Scotland.

And if the performances begin to catch up with the results, there could be plenty more to look forward to.

Next up, it's Dundee United at Celtic Park on Wednesday.

Another three points would be welcome of course. But a convincing performance wouldn't go amiss either.

Tino can be found at The Celtic Exchange, external

• Celtic are unbeaten in 51 home games against Dundee United in all competitions (W39 D12) since a 1-0 league defeat in December 1992. Only against Kilmarnock have the Parkhead club ever had a longer unbeaten home run (64 from 1957 to 2011).

• Camilo Duran has seven goal involvements (four goals, three assists) in five Scottish Premiership appearances at Celtic Park, the most by any player in their first five home league games for Celtic since Moussa Dembele in 2016 (also seven).

• Dundee United have won two of their past three league games against Celtic (L1), as many as their previous 39 beforehand (W2 D7 L30). The Tannadice side could win successive league matches against Celtic for the first time since January 1990.

• Celtic have won nine of their past 10 home league games (L1), the most home victories of any side in the Premiership since the start of March.

• Dundee United have picked up more points in their last four away league games (7 – W2 D1 L1) than their previous 10 beforehand (5 – W1 D2 L7).

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Celtic right-back Alistair Johnston has been ruled out until the international break with a fresh hamstring injury.

Auston Trusty has been missing through a family bereavement while Yang Hyun-jun (hamstring) is still out. Joel van den Berg had his first Celtic training session but is some way off fitness.

Dundee United's Mehdi Merghem, Will Ferry and Emmanuel Agyei are on the sidelines with knee injuries.

Former Celtic defender Charlie Mulgrew expects Anthony Ralston, 27, to leave the Scottish champions in January. (Sun, external)

Wednesday's Scottish gossip

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Celtic breakthrough star Colby Donovan has vowed his determination will not be dimmed by the comfort of an extended contract.

The right-back this week signed an extension which committed his future to Celtic until the summer of 2031 after making 44 first-team appearances.

The first person the 20-year-old told about his new contract was fellow full-back and Celtic fan Kieran Tierney.

"He was a big role model for the boys in the academy when I was younger growing up," said Donovan.

"Now I'm playing with him and I'm a good mate with him as well, so it's mad. But there's no better person to look up to than KT. I'm loving learning from him every day and he's at the top of his game.

"When I was younger, it was just his determination to give everything for the badge, so that's what I see in his game even now as well, he gives everything for the club.

"So that's what I try to put into my game. You might not be having the best of days but you just need to give everything for the club and for the boys, don't you?"

Donovan's interactions with Tierney and other team-mates including James Forrest and Callum McGregor began in his school days.

"I remember I actually got a photo of KT, I'll need to find it somewhere, but I was telling him about that the other day," he said.

"And you had Cal, James, sometimes they'd come down to Barrowfield and talk to the young players and that was such a good thing for the young players, seeing that it is possible to come through at a big club like this.

"When you see them doing it and, obviously I'm doing all right for myself just now, I just hope the academy players are looking up to me as well."

Another hamstring injury for Alistair Johnston means Donovan is likely to start regularly until the international break, when he hopes to be in the Scotland squad again.

But his obvious enthusiasm for playing for Celtic makes it highly unlikely he will take his first-team place for granted.

"You know how hard it is to come through as a young player," he said. "Sometimes you'll get your opportunity and maybe it'll never happen again.

"It's about taking that chance and not looking back and that's what I've been doing. I'm still doing that now. You're never destined a place at Celtic.

"It's such a big club, you're expected to win every game so I just try and do everything that I can for the club and for my team-mates and hopefully put on a good performance."

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Celtic right-back Alistair Johnston is set to be out of action at least until after the November international break, but manager Martin O'Neill says his latest hamstring injury is "not too bad".

The Canada international missed the bulk of last season with a hamstring problem and suffered a similar injury in August.

However, O'Neill says the issue that forced Johnston off only 21 minutes into his comeback appearance at Hibernian on Sunday is "not the same injury".

"He got a scan and it's not too bad," the Celtic boss said. "I think there are three muscles in the hamstring and it's one of those, but shorter term for him."

The 28-year-old will miss games against Dundee United, Falkirk, Besiktas and Kilmarnock if he is ruled out until next month's international interval.

Prior to Wednesday's visit of United, O'Neill added: "I probably can't see him being involved before the international break, but after that, that's what they're thinking about.

"Even in the spell that he was on [the pitch on Sunday], he looked commanding, he looked a real player.

"But he's very philosophical about it all, he's taking it in his stride and I think he's really happy with what the scan has shown."

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Jim Goodwin is optimistic his in-form Dundee United side can end the club's 34-year wait for a victory at Celtic Park on Wednesday night.

United, who last triumphed away to Celtic in December 1992, are buoyed for their latest attempt by a five-game unbeaten run that includes three wins in the past four outings.

"We have to be confident, we have to be optimistic," manager Goodwin told DUTV.

"The team are in a really good place at the moment, scoring goals, playing really well, playing some fantastic football.

"We have a midfield three at the moment who's as dominant as any in the country. Defensively we've looked solid and at the top end of the pitch we're creating chances.

"So I think we go into this particular fixture in the best form we've been for as long as I can remember.

"History will tell you this particular fixture hasn't been all that kind to us given the fact it's been over three decades since the last time we went to Parkhead and won. But believe me when I tell you that this group are full of confidence and full of optimism.

"This run that we're on has to change at some point and I don't see why this group can't be the ones to go and make the difference."

Goodwin has no intention of ditching the more expansive style he has instilled at United this season when they visit the defending champions.

"Throughout the the course of the season, we're probably going to give up more chances to the opposition at times than what we maybe did over the last couple of years, just given the change in style and being that little bit more open and expansive," he added.

"This is a style that we've all bought into, that the players are happy and enjoying playing in. And for me as manager, it's my responsibility to give them that bit of belief and confidence.

"So we'll keep playing this way. Just because we're going to Celtic Park tomorrow doesn't mean that we're going to all of a sudden panic under pressure and just lump the ball up the park. We haven't recruited to play that way.

"So hopefully we give a good account of ourselves. Celtic are going to ask questions of you defensively, but believe we've got players in this team that can cause Celtic lots of problems as well."

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Martin O'Neill has been speaking to the media before Celtic host Dundee United in the Premiership on Wednesday (19:45 GMT).

Here are the key points:

• O'Neill expects Alistair Johnston to be out until after the international break following the right-back's aborted comeback from a hamstring injury against Hibs last weekend.

• The Celtic boss says: "He got a scan and it's not too bad. It's not the same injury. It's shorter term for him. But he's very philosophical about it all, he's taking it in his stride and I think he's really happy with what the scan has shown."

• A "very long" year to the day since his return to Celtic, O'Neill says the past 12 months have given him "a lot of satisfaction" and he is "happy with the results since".

• He adds: "The club has done more for me than I've done for the club. Seriously, it's rejuvenated me in many aspects. I was doing a little bit of punditry work, talking nonsense most of the time, so nothing really changes from that viewpoint. But in a serious sense, really rejuvenation, getting into a game that I absolutely love, will love forever. And something that had passed me by for some considerable time."

• O'Neill is delighted Colby Donovan has been rewarded with a new contract, saying the 20-year-old has shown "great determination" and been "really super" while having more improvement to come.

• He adds: "It is nice to have some kids coming through who are Celtic through and through, whose only ambition is to play for Celtic, and to actually come up and play well and do well enough to stay in the side."

• With Sam Johnstone having started the past two games at the expense of Viljami Sinisalo, O'Neill says he must decide "over the next few weeks" who his first-choice goalkeeper will be.

• The Celtic boss backs out-of-form striker Kasper Hogh, saying he can deliver a "flurry of goals" once he rediscovers his confidence.

• Joel van den Berg, who is yet to make his debut because of injury, trained with the squad for the first time on Tuesday and O'Neill "can't wait to see what he's capable of" in the coming months. Yang Hyun-jun will return to training next week.

• O'Neill has a "lot of time" for Dundee United boss Jim Goodwin, who is a "really fine manager" having been a youngster in the squad during his first spell in charge. He adds: "He didn't play because he wasn't good enough! I think I was the first one to get him all those grey hairs."

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Celtic are still in stop-gap mode exactly a year since the departure of Brendan Rodgers as manager, according to podcaster Tino Callaghan.

Martin O'Neill had two spells as interim manager last season, with Wilfried Nancy leaving after only 33 days, before taking the job permanently after winning the league and Scottish Cup double.

"I don't know if Martin O'Neill was ever going to be long term for Celtic and it still feels like he's not going to be long term," Callaghan told the BBC's Scottish Football Podcast.

"It still feels very much like this is a holding position for all concerned. Within that year, he's won a league and he's won a Scottish Cup as well, so not too bad.

"Things are six out of 10 at Celtic and I'm fully appreciative at this time. We're four points clear at the top of the league and this week's midweek card can see us extend that lead.

"But things are far from correct in terms of just the evolution of the club and the progress of the club and nothing tells you more about that than the constant European failure, with Celta Vigo being the latest.

"On the last day of the season, 16 May, everything did turn out fine and dandy. That was hands down one of the best days of my Celtic supporting life.

"But I think it should also have been, or least afforded, Martin O'Neill the perfect opportunity to sail off into the sunset.

"For whatever reason behind the scenes and you know from the man himself, Martin O'Neill decided to stay on and I respect that and I suppose he should potentially have been given the right to make that decision.

"But I wasn't entirely convinced it was the right call and I'm a massive Martin O'Neill fan. I thought it was the right time for a change.

"Martin O'Neill domestically is more than capable and I suppose our league position and the stats show 16 wins from 17 tell us that.

"But the Celtic squad is woefully inept when it comes to European football."