Martin O’Neill did not mince his words after the final whistle at Ibrox.

The Celtic manager summed up the post-match scuffle between his players and their Rangers counterparts in a single cutting word: “feeble.”

It was a typically colourful verdict from the veteran boss, who found himself in the thick of the melee following a dramatic 2–2 draw in the latest Old Firm epic. While tempers flared and shirts were tugged, O’Neill dismissed the confrontation as little more than shadowboxing.

“I’ve managed teams when it was proper having a go,” he quipped. “This was feeble. Really feeble. Somebody holding somebody’s shirt. They should watch a couple of rugby league games — then they’ll find out.”

Yet beneath the humour and bravado lay genuine relief. Celtic had looked dead and buried at half-time, trailing 2–0 and being second best in virtually every department. By full-time, however, they had salvaged a point that could yet prove invaluable in the Scottish Premiership title race.

Nightmare start in Govan

The first half belonged entirely to Rangers. The home side were sharper, more aggressive and clinical in front of goal. Celtic appeared rattled by the occasion and struggled to impose themselves in midfield.

O’Neill admitted as much.

“If the game had ended at half-time, with our performance, we’d have thought we’re a million miles off it,” he said.

It was a stark assessment, but an accurate one. Celtic’s passing lacked rhythm, their defensive shape was disjointed and Rangers looked capable of adding a third that would have ended the contest as a spectacle.

At that stage, the title picture appeared bleak for the Hoops. League leaders Heart of Midlothian were watching on with interest, knowing a Rangers victory would further complicate Celtic’s pursuit.

A second-half resurgence

Whatever was said in the away dressing room at the interval had the desired effect.

Celtic emerged with renewed purpose and belief. The message, according to O’Neill, was simple: the next goal would define everything.

“If Rangers get it, it’s miles away,” he explained. “But if we can get the goal, then we are still in the game.”

They did just that. A goal back shifted the momentum and sowed seeds of doubt among the home support. Celtic began to dominate possession and territory, forcing Rangers onto the back foot.

The equaliser, when it came, was pure drama. Awarded a late penalty, Celtic saw their initial effort saved. The rebound was blocked. But persistence paid off as Reo Hatate forced the ball home at the third attempt, sparking wild celebrations in the away end.

Hatate’s reaction said it all. Instead of basking in the moment, he sprinted back towards the halfway line, desperate to seize what little time remained in search of a winner.

“There’s still plenty of heart and desire,” O’Neill said. “It’s been a tough old struggle this season. We just have to try and dig it out.”

Title race still alive

The draw leaves Celtic chasing Hearts at the summit, with a significant gap still to bridge. Yet O’Neill refuses to concede anything.

“If you belong to Hearts, you’ll think it’s a great result for them,” he admitted. “But even so, we’re not out of it.”

It is that defiance which has defined O’Neill’s managerial career. At 74, he remains as combative and passionate as ever. The sight of him striding into the post-match commotion — determined to prevent matters escalating — underlined his enduring authority.

His intervention, he insisted, was purely preventative.

“The only reason I went into it was I didn’t want someone to say something or bite back. I didn’t want any after-match sending-offs.”

In truth, the scuffle was more bluster than battle, but in the febrile atmosphere of an Old Firm derby, even minor flashpoints can spiral.

Goalkeeping call explained

O’Neill also addressed his pre-match selection decision between the posts. Viljami Sinisalo started in goal, with regular No.1 Kasper Schmeichel absent due to illness.

The manager bristled at suggestions the decision was tactical.

“Don’t pick my team for me,” he snapped. “Sinisalo did really well in the game the other night. But I hadn’t any real decision to make in that sense.”

Schmeichel is expected to return to contention soon, but Sinisalo’s composed display under intense pressure will have strengthened Celtic’s options heading into the run-in.

All to play for

The bigger picture remains compelling. Hearts sit in pole position, while Rangers and Celtic continue to trade blows, each capable of brilliance and vulnerability in equal measure.

For Celtic, the second-half performance at Ibrox may prove psychologically significant. To recover from such a poor opening period, in such hostile surroundings, speaks to resilience.

O’Neill knows the margins are thin. He knows consistency will be everything over the remaining fixtures. But he also senses fight within his squad.

“It looked a long, long way off at half-time,” he reflected. “But by the end of the game, the manner that we played — 2–0 down, we fight back — there is still belief.”

Feeble or not, the post-match rammy will soon be forgotten. What will endure is the point earned from the brink and the reminder that, in this most unpredictable of title races, nothing is settled yet.

The championship remains within reach. And as long as that is the case, Martin O’Neill and Celtic will keep swinging.