Scottish Roundup: Celtic Celebrate O’neill’s Homecoming With 4-0 Falkirk Rout

Martin O’Neill celebrated his Celtic homecoming pinch a thumping 4-0 triumph complete Falkirk astatine Parkhead. The 73-year-old erstwhile Hoops head was installed on pinch nan erstwhile Celtic subordinate Shaun Maloney arsenic nan interim guidance squad pursuing nan stunning resignation of Brendan Rodgers connected Monday night.

Celtic fans continued their protestation against Dermot Desmond, nan club’s awesome shareholder, and nan committee extracurricular nan stadium earlier nan crippled due, successful part, to a perceived mediocre summertime transportation window. The influential Desmond sat successful nan directors’ container and watched chap Irishman Johnny Kenny sprout Celtic into nan lead aft half an hr and past caput successful a 2nd 10 minutes later earlier goals from midfielder Benjamin Nygren and Sebastian Tounekti successful nan 2nd half accrued nan nosy factor.

Celtic moved six points down Premiership leaders Hearts, who drew 2-2 astatine St Mirren, and stay 5 up of Rangers who won 1-0 astatine Hibernian.

The Hoops meet nan Light Blues successful Sunday’s Scottish League Cup semi-final astatine Hampden Park, wherever O’Neill managed his past crippled for Celtic successful his first spell – nan 2005 Scottish Cup last triumph complete Dundee United. The Parkhead fans, while still disgruntled pinch nan Hoops hierarchy, will spell into nan crippled much assured by O’Neill’s effect connected a broadside who looked person to their champion form. O’Neill, who was Celtic head betwixt 2000 and 2005, was fixed a rousing reception by nan location fans.

Afterwards O’Neill said: “I cognize nan confidence’s been a spot low. That’s nan astir earthy point successful nan world, moreover nan very, very champion sides if you’re not getting a result.
Players past extremity doing things that they almost for illustration people would do. There’s immoderate of nan lads successful nan dressing room that would person nary thought who I was but they’re only astir 10 years aged and immoderate of nan different lads, I said we person rather a number of winners successful nan dressing room. That’s really important.

“But location was awesome performances each astir this evening and conscionable to win. So, yeah, they becalmed my dreadful insecurity problems. Naturally, delighted to triumph nan game. But location wasn’t a thought astir thing else.”

Hearts saw their lead astatine nan apical trim to six points arsenic they were held to a 2-2 tie by St Mirren successful Paisley. The location broadside doubly led done Dan Nlundulu and Miguel Freckleton, only for Hearts to reply pinch goals from Lawrence Shankland and Claudio Braga.

St Mirren besides had a 2nd “goal” from Freckleton ruled retired by VAR, arsenic did Hearts precocious connected aft Pierre Landry Kaboré netted. It is conscionable nan 2nd clip Derek McInnes’s broadside person dropped points successful nan league, while nan tie ends a series of 3 consecutive defeats for St Mirren up of their League Cup semi-final against Motherwell connected Saturday.

New Rangers head Danny Röhl maintained his cleanable commencement successful convention aft Jack Butland’s precocious punishment prevention helped unafraid a 1-0 triumph astatine Hibernian. The goalkeeper denied Jamie McGrath from nan spot successful nan 87th infinitesimal arsenic Danilo’s early extremity proved decisive astatine Easter Road.

Rangers goalkeeper Jack Butland applauds nan fans astatine afloat time. Photograph: Stuart Wallace/Shutterstock

After a mendacious commencement for Röhl distant to Brann successful nan Europa League past Thursday, nan German has ignited his reign pinch convention victories complete Kilmarnock and Hibs – nan first clip nan Ibrox broadside person enjoyed back-to-back wins since May. Rangers are now up to third, having leapfrogged Dundee United and Hibs pinch their hard-fought triumph successful Edinburgh.

Stuart Armstrong’s first Aberdeen extremity continued a mini-revival for Jimmy Thelin arsenic nan Dons moved up to 10th. The erstwhile Scotland world scored successful nan 18th infinitesimal to springiness nan visitors a 1-0 triumph against Kilmarnock at Rugby Park, a 3rd convention triumph successful 4 matches.

The much-maligned Aberdeen backline past held patient contempt sustained unit to summation a confidence-boosting cleanable sheet. The Dons were joint-top of nan array astatine this shape past twelvemonth but their convention shape dropped distant aft nan autumn and Thelin was nether unit aft a dreadful commencement to this season. However, this gutsy effort gives nan Swedish coach breathing space, moving them 4 points clear of bottommost nine Livingston.

Motherwell ensured they will caput into their Scottish League Cup semi-final against St Mirren successful precocious spirits aft seeing disconnected Dundee United 2-0 astatine Fir Park. Tawanda Maswanhise’s opener conscionable earlier nan break and Elliot Watt’s superb onslaught pinch 13 minutes remaining earned nan hosts a deserved win.