O’Neill reacts to Celtic’s victory over Dundee United

Martin O’Neill believes Celtic’s opening-day victory over Dundee United should be judged by one thing above all else—the result.

While the Scottish champions were far from their fluent best in the 1-0 win, the former Celtic manager insisted that collecting three points was the only statistic that truly mattered as Brendan Rodgers’ side began another Scottish Premiership campaign.

Speaking after the final whistle, O’Neill acknowledged that Celtic looked below their usual standards for large spells of the contest.

However, he also pointed to the number of chances created as evidence that the team is already moving in the right direction, even if the finishing touch was missing for much of the afternoon.

With expectations once again sky-high at Celtic Park, the performance may not have thrilled supporters, but the victory ensured the Hoops opened the new season exactly how every title contender hopes to—with a win.

Opening fixtures often present unique challenges, regardless of the quality within a squad.

After weeks of pre-season preparation, competitive football demands a different level of sharpness, rhythm and intensity.

According to O’Neill, that lack of match sharpness was evident during the first half against Dundee United.

Although Celtic controlled possession and fashioned several opportunities, they struggled to replicate the relentless tempo that became one of their biggest strengths throughout last season.

The visitors remained disciplined, forcing Celtic to work harder than many anticipated before eventually finding the breakthrough.

For O’Neill, however, there was little reason for concern.Instead, he viewed the display as a typical first game of the campaign, where fitness levels continue to improve and performances naturally become stronger over the coming weeks.

As the game progressed, Celtic gradually increased the tempo and began applying sustained pressure on Dundee United’s defensive line.

That improvement eventually produced the decisive goal, rewarding the home side’s persistence after a frustrating opening period.

O’Neill believes Celtic’s response after the interval reflected the mentality that has helped them dominate Scottish football in recent seasons.

Rather than becoming impatient, the players continued to push forward until they found the breakthrough.

Their willingness to keep attacking despite missed opportunities ultimately proved enough to secure maximum points.

Reflecting on the performance, O’Neill admitted the display lacked the intensity supporters became accustomed to last season but stressed that the result outweighed any concerns.

“We won, which is the most important thing,” said O’Neill. “I thought we were pretty rusty, although we did create and should have scored a number of goals.

“When you consider the games that we played with high intensity last season, I thought in the first half we didn’t have that intensity.”

The gaffer continued: “We had to try and force the issue in the second half, which I think we did and we got the goal.

“Overall, we won. We created a number of chances, but in all honesty, the win was the most important thing.”

His assessment echoed the feelings of many supporters who recognised there is still room for improvement but appreciated the value of beginning the season with three points.

Every title-winning campaign begins with building momentum, and Celtic have taken the first step.

While Rodgers will undoubtedly look for greater attacking fluency and sharper finishing in the weeks ahead, the victory over Dundee United provides a solid platform to build upon.

The performance may not have been vintage Celtic, but the resilience shown to overcome a stubborn opponent demonstrated the mentality required of champions.

If O’Neill’s assessment proves accurate, the rust will soon disappear.

What matters now is that Celtic have started where every successful title defence begins—with a hard-earned victory and three valuable points already on the board.