Celtic manager Martin O’Neill praised his side’s character but said standards must improve after Sunday’s dramatic late 3-2 comeback victory at Kilmarnock.
After scoring last-minute winners against Dundee and Livingston in their previous two matches, the Hoops again left it late as Julian Araujo lashed home in the seventh minute of stoppage time at Rugby Park to secure a vital three points in the William Hill Premiership title race.
Celtic were woeful in the first half and trailed 2-0 after a Tyreece John-Jules curler and a Joe Hugill header, but hit back through Sebastian Tounekti’s wonder goal, Benjamin Nygren’s poked finish and Araujo’s late intervention.
In his 300th game in charge of Celtic, O’Neill likened his side’s resolve to that of his previous Hoops sides, though he admitted it was draining to continually watch his team leave it so late.
“Twenty-odd years ago, I managed a really fine team, who had loads of spirit, loads of determination and always saw it to the end.
“There were many traits here about this side and they’ve shown fantastic character, after a poor first half against a strong Kilmarnock side.
“We were 2-0 down at half-time and we never gave up.
“You can throw all the usual accolades around, but the players deserve them today because even at half-time, when we were so poor, there was still that feeling that we could turn it around if we could get a relatively early goal in the second half, and that’s what happened.
“Obviously, it’s unbelievably satisfying to win, and to win in the manner in which we did at the end was terrific.
“If that’s the way you have to win the games, though, if you have to win them like that, you just can’t keep doing that.
“It’s both worrying me and, well, it’s not great for my health. It’s really draining, honestly.
“Some of these lads, my coaching staff, I look around, they’re much, much younger than me and I think they can take the strain, but not for me.”
The 73-year-old revealed Arne Engels will be out for around six weeks, after the midfielder limped off against Livingston in midweek.
“It’s his thigh and it’s a big loss for us, absolutely,” the Northern Irishman added.
Kilmarnock boss Neil McCann, meanwhile, was devastated to see his side surrender a two-goal lead as they battle against the drop.
Performances and results have improved since McCann joined Killie at the start of the year and they looked set to secure their third straight home triumph in the league before the second-half turnaround.
McCann, whose side have conceded 11 goals in the past three league games, said: “I’m angry. Of course I’m angry. I’m so disappointed because I truly believe that we deserved something from the game.
“It’s taken a bit of brilliance from Tounekti to get them back into the game.
“The second goal, it’s so disappointing. We lost three goals against St Mirren, where it was just second balls bouncing in the box and we didn’t deal with it.
“But the last one’s the most sore because it’s right at the end of the game and there’s a minute left.
“I’d have been disappointed coming off with a point, to be honest, but the anger comes from not seeing that out and getting at least a point.
“I’m sitting here thinking I’m absolutely gutted we got nothing from the game.”
