O'Neill Dismisses Statement Talk After Celtic's 7-1 Win Over Hearts
Celtic moved four points clear at the top of the Scottish Premiership with a 7-1 thrashing of Hearts, but manager Martin O'Neill insists the lead means little at this stage of the season.
Martin O'Neill refused to label Celtic's 7-1 dismantling of Hearts a statement victory, stressing that four points at the top of the Scottish Premiership count for little so early in the campaign. The win lifted Celtic four points clear of Rangers, with a goal difference 12 superior, and came against a Hearts side that had been viewed as a genuine title contender before arriving at Celtic Park.
The result followed a difficult spell featuring four significant defeats in six matches. O'Neill said he was unsure about the "statement" tag, noting the season is only eight or nine games old. He praised the quality of Celtic's goals, the work of the back four under pressure and the support they received from the players ahead of them, describing the overall display as very pleasing.
Former Rangers striker Kris Boyd, speaking to Sky Sports, compared the performance to Ange Postecoglou's Celtic, calling the first half devastating. Former Hearts defender Ryan McGowan said his old side were poor but gave Celtic credit for what he considered their best display of the season. Former Celtic goalkeeper Pat Bonner told BBC Radio Scotland that organisation, work rate and attitude had improved, singling out youngsters Callum Osmand and Colby Donovan for setting the tone.
The front four of Osmand, Benjamin Nygren, Haissem Hassan and Camilo Duran troubled Hearts throughout. O'Neill, however, said he would not necessarily keep the same lineup given a relentless run of Sunday-Thursday fixtures across Europe and the league, and confirmed adjustments for Thursday's Europa League meeting with Celta Vigo, with both sides yet to earn a point after two defeats each.
O'Neill also warned that recent defeats by Rangers show how quickly momentum can shift, insisting the lead is far from decisive. Chris Sutton, speaking to Sky Sports, summed up the contrast between Celtic's strong domestic form and their European struggles, while hoping the result builds confidence for the Celta Vigo match.
