Celtic manager Martin O'Neill warned his side they must tidy up their act for Wednesday's Champions League play-off against LASK, despite watching them defeat Dundee United 4-0 at Tannadice to reach the last eight of the Premier Sports Cup.
Goals from Auston Trusty, Camilo Duran, Sebastian Tounekti and Benjamin Nygren secured a convincing scoreline on paper for the Glasgow side, but Dundee United hit the woodwork an astonishing five times during the 90 minutes.
While admitting there was much to be pleased about in the performance on Tayside, O'Neill highlighted the need for immediate improvements before Austrian league and cup double-winners LASK arrive at Parkhead for the first leg of their qualifying play-off.
"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," said O'Neill, who handed debuts as substitutes to new arrivals Haissem Hassan and Mika Baur.
"I felt up until maybe the third goal that United were never really out of it. They hit the bar and post four or five times, so that might tell you something. In some moments we were terrific and, in other moments I felt we were just a bit untidy. We’ll have to straighten that out before Wednesday."
Looking ahead to the double-header against LASK, O'Neill emphasised the scale of the challenge facing his squad as they seek to reach the Champions League group stage.
"There is a really big task ahead. LASK are a very fine side. They're very, very strong," O'Neill stated. "It would be great if some of the lads who have come in now had a bit more practice with the team in that sense, but it is what it is. We have to be ready regardless."
The Celtic manager added: "It is a big week for us. We've got the game on Wednesday and then the second match the following Tuesday. They are big games in every aspect. Champions League qualification matches, everything to go for. Prestige, finance, all that type of stuff. We're trying to be as ready as we possibly can."
Attacking Firepower and Transfer Updates
O'Neill expressed delight after summer arrival Duran scored his first goal for Celtic at Tannadice, offering high praise for the forward's overall contribution to the victory.
"I thought Duran was exceptional. He’s a really good player and he was terrific," O'Neill said.
The Celtic boss acknowledged that the addition of several attacking options has provided encouragement ahead of the tie with LASK, taking particular heart from having a natural focal point in striker Kasper Hogh.
"It does give you encouragement, yeah," O'Neill remarked. "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'll thrive on goals like any centre-forward, but overall, yeah, that's something that I felt we missed last season. He's strong, and his hold-up play, he wants to improve that and I think he's doing fine."
Reflecting on how the squad's attacking profile has expanded since last term, O'Neill noted: "I think we've got goalscorers in the side. That was always a concern last season. 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."
O'Neill also provided updates on player availability ahead of Wednesday's European fixture. Winger Yang Hyun-jun was omitted from the matchday squad for the trip to Tayside, but O'Neill remains optimistic about his fitness.
"Yang was very, very stiff after training on Thursday and missed Friday's training, but we're hoping he should be OK for Wednesday," O'Neill reported.
Meanwhile, midfielder Arne Engels was absent as his high-value move to English Premier League side West Ham United neared completion. "I think he was doing a medical yesterday. Maybe it’s the longest medical in history," O'Neill joked.
Goodwin Demands Common Sense Over Handball Controversy
Dundee United manager Jim Goodwin begged for common sense from match officials after watching Celtic awarded their second goal despite a clear handball by Hogh in the build-up.
Duran made it 2-0 at Tannadice after the ball struck Hogh's hand following a tussle in the penalty area with home defender Bert Esselink. Under current laws, the goal was allowed to stand because Hogh's handball was deemed accidental, but Goodwin remained deeply disappointed that referee Steven McLean awarded the goal after a review by video assistant referee Greg Aitken.
"We certainly didn't get the rub of the green and, in games like this, you need that little bit of good fortune. At 0-0, we've hit the upright twice," Goodwin said.
"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. I know people will say it was an accidental handball and will also say that the rule is if the goalscorer handles it before in the build-up then it's disallowed, but I think common sense needs to prevail in a situation like that. It's such an important game."
Goodwin argued that the handball directly altered the outcome of the attack: "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. At 1-0, we're still very much in the game but, at 2-0, of course we've got a mountain to climb."
Disputed Penalty Claim and VAR Frustrations
Dundee United were also left aggrieved by a first-half penalty claim when Celtic midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain appeared to handle the ball inside his own area following a cross from Zac Sapsford.
Goodwin revealed he questioned McLean at the interval regarding the incident. "I was asking Steven McLean at half-time if he saw the handball and he said he didn't. I was disappointed to hear that because he wasn't too far away from it," Goodwin said.
The Dundee United manager expressed broader frustration with how video assistance is being utilized in Scottish football, arguing that officials are relying too heavily on technology.
"I know how reluctant referees are now to make decisions in the moment because of the VAR situation and maybe hoping that the VAR guys will make a decision for them," Goodwin remarked. "That second goal for me, the timing of that goal so quickly after the first one and the manner of it, it baffles me sometimes. I don't think there's a manager in the country that would want those types of goals going against them."
Goodwin concluded: "It's the whole reason why we pay for VAR, to come and assist the referees in situations like that where they don't see the big moments. We were told if an arm goes in the direction of the ball to try and prevent it from going in the box, or if it's in an unnatural position, then VAR would look at it. I think everybody can see that the Celtic player does raise his arm towards the ball. 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. These decisions, sometimes you get them, sometimes you don't. Tonight, certainly, we got no favours from VAR."
