Celtic board ready to make Martin O’Neill decision after Old Firm clash

Martin O’Neill has the opportunity to ease the growing pressure surrounding his Celtic position when his side face Rangers in Sunday’s Old Firm derby.

Questions over O’Neill’s position have emerged following a difficult week for the Hoops. Celtic were beaten 3-0 by Rangers in the Premier Sports Cup last weekend before suffering another setback in midweek, losing 3-1 at home to Ferencváros in the Europa League.

Those results have led to increased scrutiny despite Celtic’s strong league campaign. O’Neill’s side remain top of the Premiership with a perfect record, while Rangers sit second after winning their last five matches.

Celtic now welcome their city rivals to Parkhead knowing that victory would provide an immediate response to the recent defeats and restore some confidence around the club.

O’Neill is not understood to be facing an immediate dismissal should Celtic lose Sunday’s match. However, another defeat would increase the expectation for a quick reaction after the international break, particularly if poor results continue.

The Celtic board could ultimately be forced to reassess the manager’s position if results fail to improve as the season develops.

One source of frustration from the summer was the club’s failure to complete a deal for Torino midfielder Gvidas Gineitis, who had reportedly been a major target for O’Neill.

Celtic were unable to meet Torino’s valuation after the club missed out on Champions League qualification, with the proposed transfer ultimately not going ahead.

For O’Neill, however, Sunday’s derby provides an immediate opportunity to change the mood. A victory over Rangers would put Celtic eight points clear at the top of the Premiership and give the manager a significant boost heading into the international break.