(Credit: Imago)

Evan Shaw

Sun 15 March 2026 10:58, UK

Follow us on Google Discover

Martin O’Neill worked his magic yet again as his Celtic side recovered to beat Motherwell 3-1 on home turf on Saturday.

The Scottish Premiership title challengers fell behind in just the 32nd minute at Celtic Park, as Elijah Just converted after Reo Hatate had his pocket picked on the edge of the box.

Yang Hyun-Jun levelled the game in the 38th minute, before a Tomas Cvancara penalty and Yang’s second of the afternoon secured the points in the second half.

Celtic’s victory over Motherwell has seen them close the gap on Hearts at the top of the table to just two points, as the all-important league split begins to hone into view.

Ex-Motherwell hero hails Martin O’Neill switch

Motherwell have become renowned for their free-flowing passing style under manager Jens Berthel Askou this season, and they have also been in the conversation as outsiders in the title race of late.

The Well had already beaten Celtic this season, but they enjoyed no such luck this time around, as the hosts found an extra gear to take control of the game in the second half.

O’Neill men took control of proceedings after the half-time interval, and their dominance in the second period was largely down to a decision made by the boss and his assistant Shaun Maloney.

That is according to former Motherwell hero Stephen Craigan, who hailed the half-time message from the Celtic coaching staff for their team to go and press their opposition, rather than continuing to sit off.

“Right at the end of the first half, O’Neill and Maloney were trying to get the message on for Celtic to release themselves from their positions and go and press,” Craigan said during Saturday night’s edition of Sportscene.

“In the first half, they were so tentative and so passive. The crowd were trying to usher them up the pitch at times, and they allowed Motherwell to have the ball and pass through them.

“When you release yourself, you put the opposition under pressure, you can engage them and start winning the ball high up the pitch.

“This was just before the end of the first half, so I’d imagine the message from the coaching staff was to start the second half that way, and that was exactly what they did.

“The energy shifted inside the stadium, and the players started to grow into it.”

Jens Berthel Askou outthought in Celtic audition

Football Insider revealed back in January that Berthel Askou “ticks a lot of boxes” for the Celtic hierarchy in their search to find a new manager to appoint in the summer.

Robbie Keane has since emerged as the frontrunner for the position in recent days, and Motherwell’s performance at Parkhead on Saturday will not have done their boss any favours when it comes to impressing the Bhoys board.

Berthel Askou’s side have received plenty of plaudits for their expansive style, but it ultimately proved to be their downfall on this occasion, with their boss tactically outthought by his opposite number.

The visitors had little answer for Celtic’s increased energy after the break, and began to cough the ball up in dangerous areas.

The game effectively turned on O’Neill’s tweak, and with Berthel Askou unable to successfully counter that alteration, he has surely failed his latest audition at Celtic.