Martin O'Neill is poised to take a hard look at his future at Celtic after the side suffered a 1-0 loss to Rangers at Parkhead. The defeat adds to mounting pressure on the Northern Irish manager, whose position has been under the microscope ever since Celtic’s 3-0 League Cup triumph over Rangers at Ibrox last weekend.

That cup win had seemed to put the team back on track, and a first‑half goal from Ryan Naderi in the subsequent Premiership clash had lifted Celtic to within two points of the league leaders as the international break approached. This is O'Neill’s second full-time spell as Celtic’s permanent head coach, following two interim stints earlier in the season.

The 74‑year‑old had already been feeling the heat after a 3-1 defeat to Ferencváros at Celtic Park on Thursday night, a result that left many supporters questioning his tactics and overall direction. In the wake of the recent loss to Rangers, O'Neill admitted he would enter a period of self‑reflection, saying, "I genuinely will reflect and see.

It's a matter of whether I can help the team. The manager is supposed to be able to do that. I will look at that this week." He went on to acknowledge that age might be a factor in his performance, adding, "I think every single time something crops up and things don't go so well, age plays a part.

And, do you know what, they might be right. I'll be 110 in two years' time so it might be time to wrap it up." O'Neill said he would discuss the situation with the club’s board and consider taking a short break to gain perspective.

When pressed on what he would do if his self‑assessment concluded he could no longer improve the squad, he responded, "By that time, I will promise you, I'll let you know. I don't know. I'll have a look." Addressing the growing negativity among Celtic fans, O'Neill acknowledged their frustration: "Well, I think they're absolutely entitled. I mentioned this to you on Friday, absolutely entitled to, of course.

And I'm not immune from criticism. Far from it. Absolutely and utterly far from it.

I think there's every reason to ask, 'can you turn this round? Can you change the whole thing?'" He reminded supporters that Celtic still sat two points clear at the top, urging a broader view of the season ahead.

"We are, as I said, two points clear, so I have to kind of look at the bigger picture at this minute. But I knew that we were in a big, big fight anyway, with both ourselves, Rangers, and Hearts again, who are far from out of anything.

It's a long season ahead. It's not the first time I've been questioned about my managerial time.

So, yeah, I'll have a look at it. I will reflect and see." Former Celtic boss Neil Lennon weighed in on Sky Sports, noting O'Neill’s recent tactical adjustments: "He's changed formation, he made four changes midweek. He's trying to find a recipe to get some fluidity. Rangers were the far superior team, not just in physical attributes and running power, but football.

They played all the football. Celtic were a lot better than they have been in the first half, without being brilliant. But second half, totally disjointed, totally outplayed. Outworked, which is the worst thing you can label at a team.

Really disjointed, battered, actually battered. All the best players were in a blue shirt today. Celtic have a lot to ponder and a lot to work out. They've got an international break, which is probably coming at a good time for them.

I know a lot of them may be away playing for their countries but there needs to be a total reset because the last three performances in the space of a week have been very poor." Sky Sports analyst Chris Sutton echoed the sentiment, saying, "Knowing Martin, he'll be greatly concerned. I don't like to disagree with him but it wasn't a close game.

There was a massive gulf between the teams. I can't actually remember a Celtic team getting such a drubbing at Celtic Park from a Rangers team, which happened today.

It looked like Celtic were making it up as they went along. Rangers were better in every department.

Celtic have got big problems. They were smashed by Rangers and that's a concern." The combination of a disappointing league result, a recent European loss, and vocal fan criticism has placed O'Neill at a crossroads. While the manager has promised a period of introspection and dialogue with the board, the club’s hierarchy will likely weigh his experience against the urgent need for results. Celtic remain in a strong league position, but the margin at the top is slim and the upcoming fixtures against Rangers and Hearts will be pivotal.

Whether O'Neill decides to step aside, adjust his approach, or receive renewed backing from the board, the next few weeks will be decisive for both his career and Celtic's title ambitions.