Chris Sutton has hit back at Martin O'Neill's claim that Celtic were unlucky in their latest defeat to Rangers, insisting his former boss's side were "absolutely smashed" in the Glasgow derby.
Celtic lost to their city rivals for the second time in eight days, with the two damaging defeats coming either side of a midweek loss to Ferencvaros. Derek McInnes' side, thanks to Ryan Naderi's goal at Parkhead, now sit within two points of the defending champions heading into the international break.
O'Neill's Assessment
Speaking to Sky Sports after the match, O'Neill downplayed the gap between the sides. "It was a tough game. I don't think there was very much between the teams," he said. "They got the goal halfway through the first half and we should have created more really."
He added: "We had a lot of possession, particularly in the second half, but we couldn't create the chances. We should have been creating more. It has been a tough week. The history of the club proves it will fight back from these things. We're still two points ahead, so when the players get back from international duty, we'll have re-think."
O'Neill acknowledged the concern but stopped short of calling it a crisis. "It's concerning. Is it a disaster? I don't think so. I think we have to re-think and reset. It's a time for self-reflection," he said.
Sutton's Verdict
Sutton, who won four league titles alongside O'Neill between 2001 and 2006, admitted he dislikes disagreeing with his former manager but rejected the notion that the game was close. "Knowing Martin, I think he'll be greatly concerned. I don't like to disagree with Martin, but it wasn't a close game," he said.
"There was a massive gulf between the teams. I can't actually remember a Celtic team getting such a doing at Celtic Park from a Rangers team, which happened today. It looked like today Celtic were making it up as they went along. Rangers were better in every department."
Sutton concluded: "Celtic have got big problems. They were smashed by Rangers and that's a concern."
