Celtic boss O'Neill won't call Old Firm 'must-win'
Martin O'Neill said it was too early in the season for Sunday's Old Firm derby between Celtic and Rangers to be described as must-win for either team.
O'Neill's side has won six straight games to open its latest Scottish Premiership title defence, but results in other competitions have been far less impressive.
It was thrashed 3-0 by Rangers less than a week ago in a Scottish League Cup quarter-final tie at Ibrox, and was then beaten 3-1 by Ferencvaros in its UEFA Europa League opener on Friday (AEST).
Celtic has won six of its past eight home games against Rangers in the Scottish Premiership and could open up an eight-point lead over its fiercest rival with a victory.
But O'Neill insists a negative result would be far from terminal for its season.
"No, it's too early in the season to say," O'Neill said when asked if the game was a must-win.
"It would be great if we could win because we could go eight points clear, and we've won the previous six league games.
"The game is big. It's a big game whether it's played in September or March. It's a really big game. We need to be up for the game.
"Do we need to win the game? It would be nice to win; it wouldn't be great if we lost. That would be three on the trot, and of course, psychologically, it would be a blow."
O'Neill has come in for criticism from sections of Celtic's fanbase in recent days, both for his tactics and for his prickly demeanour in post-match interviews, but he admits supporters and pundits' questions are mostly justified.
"That's the nature of the game," he said. "I can get a bit tetchy now and again. Sometimes I have to apologise for that.
"What I did say was that we don't seem to be questioned when we win football matches. But everybody has a right to ask.
"At the end of it all, I'm responsible for team selection, I'm responsible for the tactics, and of course I should be questioned."
Gers boss Derek McInnes could also become just the second manager to win his first two Old Firm derbies in charge against Celtic, after Graeme Souness in 1986.
But when asked if he would stick with the same tactical approach that worked last weekend, McInnes shifted the focus to his players, saying: "I think sometimes tactics can get a wee bit overplayed.
"I think you normally win games through the individual moments and the performances of players being really high and really strong.
"You don't win at Celtic Park unless everybody plays well. So, we've got to try and bring something similar and look for those improvements again."
