Martin O'Neill came away from McDiarmid Park saying Celtic are still "well short", even after six wins out of six in the Scottish Premiership. Mika Baur decided the game with his first goal for the club away to ST Johnstone, but the manager was more struck by what he saw around him. He made five changes and handed debuts or starts to Sam Johnstone, Oliver Sorensen and Dane Murray.

O'Neill's view of the performance

"I'm not sure what to make of it, really," O'Neill said after the game, before adding that the side were still "well short of it". The result kept the league start perfect, but the performance did not leave him sounding relaxed.

That is especially noticeable because Celtic have won all six of their league games. O'Neill also said, "I know the results have been fine, really fine, but when we get players up to speed, that'll be great," which fits the feeling that the team is still settling rather than flowing.

Duran, Tounekti and the squad balance

The most awkward selection calls are at the sharp end. O'Neill said Camilo Duran was "just been class" but looked tired, which is no surprise given the volume of work he is doing. He added that Duran is second only to Daizen Maeda for closing players down and that trying to do without him is "probably not" the answer.

Duran has three goals and two assists in three games at centre forward, a return that makes him hard to leave out. Sebastian Tounekti, by contrast, has made five Premiership appearances and has a 6.58 rating, which is enough to keep him in the conversation without settling the issue.

Yang Hyun-Jun is also absent, away with South Korea for the Asian Games. He has five appearances, two goals and a 7.15 rating in the Premiership, so his absence is a real one rather than a minor rotation note.

Celtic now turn to a heavy week with Rangers in the Premier Sports Cup on Sunday, the league meeting a week later, and Ferencvaros next Thursday in the Europa League. O'Neill's warning is not about one bad night in Perth, it is about a squad that still needs time and bodies back in place before that run.

Written by Sam Whitfield with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 2 outlets. How we work →