O'Neill defiant in defeat but Celtic's 'flat-track bullies' fail another big test

Celtic manager Martin O'Neill chose to focus on the second-half positives from his side's 4-1 Europa League defeat by Benfica and insisted they can still reach the knockout stages despite their slow start.

In stark contrast, Chris Sutton branded his former side as "flat-track bullies".

Celtic have lost four of their past five games. Every high-stakes match this term - both meetings with Rangers and both European outings - has ended in a defeat.

By the time their performance improved in Lisbon on Thursday, they were three goals down and effectively already out of the contest, hamstrung by their own sloppy mistakes.

Dane Murray upended Jhon Duran to concede a penalty inside four minutes, an error which characterised the first 45 minutes.

Sebastian Tounekti then allowed Alexander Bah to run past him for Benfica's second and goalkeeper Viljami Sinisalo was beaten too easily as Duran scored the hosts' third.

Celtic suffer fourth defeat in five against classy Benfica

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Camilo Duran pulled one back after the break and struck a post as the Scottish champions improved, but Vangelis Pavlidis struck Benfica's fourth late on to kill any faint Celtic hopes.

"Last thing you want to do is concede so early on," O'Neill said. "We could've capitulated, but I thought the second-half performance was terrific. We created chance after chance.

"The second-half performance gives me the determination... I think we can still qualify. We can still do it.

"We came roaring back. We could've scored a number of goals. I accept on the break they could have scored themselves, as they did with their fourth goal."

Even the most ardent Celtic supporters would struggle to share their manager's optimism given they sit 34th of 36 teams in the competition after two games.

Captain Callum McGregor admitted Celtic were masters of their own downfall in the first half.

"First half we didn't help ourselves," he told TNT Sports. "Unforced errors lead to the second and third goals and you have a mountain to climb.

"We know at this level if you don't look after the ball you're going to get punished."

'I'd pick Duran over Hogh every day of the week'

Although Celtic conceded four, the scoreline did not flatter Benfica. The Portuguese side created chances aplenty in both halves and hit the woodwork twice in addition to their four goals.

Celtic's lack of depth in defence was exposed once again in the absence of the injured Cameron Carter-Vickers as Gianluca Prestianni and Duran tormented the visitors' back four.

However, it is in forward areas where O'Neill perhaps has his biggest headache.

Club record signing Kasper Hogh was hooked at half-time and has now failed to score in 10 of his first 11 outings since joining from Bodo/Glimt in the summer.

Duran shifted inside for the second half and posed far more of a threat than his Danish team-mate.

"If I'm a creative midfield player and I've got Duran and Hogh to pick from, I'm taking Duran every day of the week," former Celtic midfielder Scott Allan said.

"He looks to get off the side of defenders, if you put a ball in the area, he's more likely to be alive to it.

"Hogh just isn't firing on all cylinders. I can take that if he's doing the other side of the game a lot better than he is.

"You can see why Martin O'Neill made the substitution at half-time and there's no doubt Celtic looked much better going forward."

O'Neill admitted he sees Duran as being better through the middle, when asked about his Colombian talisman post-match, but given Hogh's price tag he might not be inclined to pull him out of the firing line just yet.

"[Duran] has played wide at his previous clubs," O'Neill said. "But I personally feel his best position is through the middle.

"It's now a matter of us trying to fit him in and I think we can do that. It's a real battle for places now."