Martin O'Neill acknowledged Celtic's comfortable 4-0 win against Dundee United in the Premier Sports Cup but stressed the need for significant improvement ahead of their Champions League play-off tie against LASK.
Despite the scoreline, which saw goals from Auston Trusty, Camilo Duran, Sebastian Tounekti, and Benjamin Nygren, O'Neill noted that Dundee United hit the woodwork five times. "Four-nil suggests we were comfortable and I thought there were moments when we played really well. There were also moments when we were very untidy," O'Neill stated. He emphasized the need to address these untidy moments before facing the Austrian champions.
"We'll have to straighten that out before Wednesday," O'Neill said. "There is a really big task ahead. LASK are a very fine side. They're very, very strong."
O'Neill was pleased with the performances of new signings and specifically highlighted Camilo Duran's first goal for the club. "I thought Duran was exceptional. He’s a really good player and he was terrific," he commented. The manager also expressed encouragement regarding the team's increased attacking depth, citing the addition of new talents and the presence of a strong center-forward in Kasper Hogh.
"It does give you encouragement, yeah," O'Neill said about the new attacking options. "I think the centre-forward, he's linked up well, he obviously wants to get into the penalty area, but he's a very fine centre-forward."
He added that the team's previous reliance on individual players for goals was a concern. "We conjured goals, and we won big games. But Daizen (Maeda) almost single-handedly took it upon himself to score the goals. Now I think that there are goals from different areas."
Winger Yang Hyun-jun, who missed the match due to stiffness, is expected to be available for the midweek fixture. However, Arne Engels was absent as his transfer to West Ham United is nearing completion.
Meanwhile, Dundee United manager Jim Goodwin expressed frustration with the officiating, particularly concerning Celtic's second goal. The goal was allowed to stand after a review by VAR, despite claims of a handball by Kasper Hogh in the build-up. "The second goal, for me, the timing of it and the nature of it, is extremely frustrating when you consider that VAR has been brought in to help the officials," Goodwin stated.
Goodwin argued that common sense should have prevailed, even if the handball was accidental. "Had the ball not hit the Celtic forward player's hand then it wouldn't have dropped to the feet of his team-mate and probably would have went into the opposite side of the pitch towards my full-back." He also questioned why a handball by Celtic midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in the first half was not reviewed.
"For me, it's another decision that could go in your favour, but VAR obviously didn't think it was worth looking at and didn't think it was worth bringing a referee to the monitor for," Goodwin added. "These decisions, sometimes you get them, sometimes you don't. Tonight, certainly, we got no favours from VAR."