FootyChatter.com

By GARY KEOWN Published: 06: 57 AEDT, 11 January 2026 | Updated: 07: 26 AEDT, 11 January 2026 View comments Celtic 4 Dundee United 0  GOSH, it’s almost as if Wilfried Nancy and all that lunacy over trainers, tactics boards, Twitter and three-at-the-back never happened. Four goals. No major tension never mind foam-flecked gatherings in the car park. A team full of international players thumping a team not full of international players in the way that you would reasonably expect. Huzzah for Martin O’Neill, showing, once again, that six years out of the dugout prior to the last time Dermot Desmond got on the batphone and no evident interest in modern methodology need be no impediment to the only thing that matters at Parkhead — winning. O’Neill left the old ground on Saturday night with the crowd’s hailing of his talents echoing in the evening sky. Goals from Yang Hyun-jun, Arne Engels, substitute Benjamin Nygren and Daizen Maeda helped, too, in making sure the Third Coming of The Blessed One went off as planned. Martin O'Neill looks on from the sidelines as he begins his third spell in charge of Celtic Celtic players hail Yang after the winger's opening goal against Dundee United Daizen Maeda fires Celtic's second goal past United goalkeeper Dave Richards As did all the players actually buying into what the manager is selling. It felt much the way it did before O’Neill stepped aside for Nancy’s own, special brand of chaos. Maybe even better. The team was often scraping results during his first stint back in the saddle as interim coach. This, on the other hand, was largely straightforward. A sure-fire sign that managing high-earning talent against players well below them in the football’s food chain is not exactly rocket science. No matter how some of those inside the game may endeavour to portray it as so. Life as Celtic manager can get complicated enough without making unnecessary problems for yourself. Playing guys in positions they feel comfortable in is a good start in ironing things out and building a base to work from — and that’s what made a difference here along with the men in green and white not looking like they actually are trying to get the bloke in charge the bullet. You looked through Celtic’s starting line-up yesterday and it was full of players with caps for their country. They should be bowling teams over pretty much every week, being perfectly honest, and watching them ease past United without ever threatening to move into top gear does make you wonder how this season could possibly have been so traumatic. Kieran Tierney was back at left-back instead of the left-side of a back three. His involvement in the match was key, playing a significant role in the champions’ first two goals. Benjamin Nygren shoots past Richards for Celtic's third goal against Dundee United Arne Engels celebrates after doubling Celtic's advantage over United Yang Hyun-jun is a winger and not a wing-back. Fielded on the right-hand side, he had much less to do in a defensive context and that permitted him to focus the old grey matter on opening the scoring with a fierce shot. It was the same throughout the team. Guys looking infinitely more comfortable than they did during the almighty blip of Nancyball. People who gave the impression that, all of a sudden, they knew what they were supposed to be doing again. Yes, Daizen Maeda was asked to fill in up front, to be fair, but that probably will have to be the way of it until Celtic’s recruitment department — if such a thing actually exists — finds someone capable of playing centre-forward who actually wants to sign up. Johnny Kenny has had his chance. He has done his best, but, for all that valuable running he does, he just misses to many opportunities to be a bona-fide No 9 at a club like Celtic. One minor surprise was the first start handed to Julian Araujo, who was lucky to stay on the park thanks to a dreadful foul on Will Ferry 10 minutes before half-time. That his potential ankle-breaker was not picked up by VAR Andrew Dallas and upgraded from a yellow card to a red is lamentable, but no great shock. Of course, there’s work to be done. O’Neill’s pre-match demands for some significant action in the market are proof of that. Even though United travelled to Parkhead in defensive mode and lined up that way on the park, they still had three excellent openings in the first 45. With the scoreline still goalless, Dario Naamo showed a real lack of composure on the right-hand side after being picked out by an excellent cross from Will Ferry. He should have smashed it first-time. Instead, he was guilty of taking an atrocious first touch that saw everything crumble to dust. Dundee United boss Jim Goodwin shouts from the touchlines during his side's 4-0 loss At 1-0, a blunder from Auston Trusty, an expensive signing really starting to look like a weak spot in the team, saw Owen Stirton presented with a clear strike at goal. He dithered, though, and allowed Liam Scales, back in the fray under O’Neill, to make a last-gasp challenge. Then, at 2-0 just before the break, Stirton again received the ball on the edge of the area, turned nicely — and sclaffed an awful effort wide. This isn’t to say United ever looked like getting a result in the east end of Glasgow. It’s just that, considering they had hardly any of the ball, they still exposed some frailties in the defending champions’ defending set-up. After an opening 27 minutes dominated by Celtic, but not exactly entertaining or good for the soul, Yang broke the deadlock when taking a pass from Scales, who’d been fed by Tierney, and rifling a terrific low drive into the net from the edge of the area. Engels then doubled Celtic’s advantage five minutes later, sidefooting home in clinical fashion from an unmarked position inside the area after a neat low cross from Tierney on the left. Nygren, on for Reo Hatate, put the result beyond doubt shortly after the hour when a shot from Engels was deflected into his path inside the area. He took a touch, had a good think about things as the visiting rearguard watched the grass grow and eventually put the ball into the roof of the net. Celtic's Julian Araujo dribbles away from Dundee United midfielder Craig Sibbald The fourth goal then arrived when Richards palmed a first-time effort from Sebastian Tounekti into Maeda’s path, allowing the Japanese forward an easy finish. It was an afternoon marked by O’Neill’s name being sung lustily around all sides of the stadium at intermittent periods. Of course, that’s not to suggest all is completely well again around Parkhead. There were plenty of ‘Sack The Board’ chants too. A banner aimed at interim chairman Brian Wilson — who has been asked for a meeting by the Celtic Fans Collective — made an appearance in the ultras section early doors before making its way to the main stand for the second half. ‘So much for unity, Brian’, it read — suggesting that the smoking of the peace pipe has yet to happen. Martin O'Neill hails Daizen Maeda after the Celtic forward was substituted Whether it ever will is debatable. O’Neill’s very presence around the club, though, brings a much needed easing of frayed nerves, not to mention a spot of calmness and breathing space. That’s what happens when you appoint someone, 73 years old or not, who knows what he is doing and understands that results are everything. A bloke who understands Scottish football — all without ever having come close to signing for Carlisle United. Sorry, Wilfried. Just couldn’t resist having one last swipe of the boot to reiterate, much as this game did, what an absolute nonsense those 33 days in charge really were. Celtic (4-3-3): Schmeichel; Araujo (Donovan 61), Scales, Trusty, Tierney; Engels, Mc Gregor, Hatate (Nygren 61); Yang (Forrest 71), Maeda (Kenny 71), Tounekti (Mc Cowan 71). Subs not used: Sinisalo, Bernardo, Murray, Ralston. Bookings: Araujo. Dundee United (5-3-2): Richards; Naamo (Trapanovski 60), Sevelj (Eskesen 78), Graham, Keresztes, Ferry; Stephenson, Sibbald, Camara (Fatah 46); Sapsford (Moller 78), Stirton (Strain 60). Subs not used: Adams, Iovu, Watters, Cleall-Harding. Bookings: None. Referee: Nick Walsh. Attendance: N/A

Share what you think

No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts,

or debate this issue live on our message boards.

By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your Mail Online comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to Mail Online as usual.   Do you want to automatically post your Mail Online comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to Mail Online as usual We will automatically post your comment and a link to the news story to your Facebook timeline at the same time it is posted on Mail Online. To do this we will link your Mail Online account with your Facebook account. We’ll ask you to confirm this for your first post to Facebook. You can choose on each post whether you would like it to be posted to Facebook. Your details from Facebook will be used to provide you with tailored content, marketing and ads in line with our Privacy Policy.