Chris Sutton has reacted strongly to Celtic’s defeat at Tannadice, with the former striker offering a blunt assessment of where the team are right now. The 2-0 loss to Dundee United has left Celtic chasing in the title race, and the performance has added to the frustration building around the club.

Celtic had plenty of the ball again but never looked sharp enough in the final third. Dundee United were comfortable sitting in and dealing with crosses, while carrying more threat when they broke forward.

It followed a pattern that has been there for a while. When Celtic go behind, there is not always a clear way back. The lack of a settled striker showed again, with chances coming but not being taken.

Sutton’s comments focused on that bigger picture, pointing to issues that go beyond one game.

That lines up with what’s been happening on the pitch. Celtic have brought in a number of forwards this season, but none have really taken hold of the role. The team has kept changing things, and that has affected how they attack.

You could see it again at Tannadice. Balls were going into the box, but there was no one consistently there to meet them. When chances dropped loose, there was a pause instead of someone reacting quickly.

Now it comes down to the final run of games. Celtic are chasing and need to put wins together, but displays like this don’t give much confidence.

Sutton’s point about O’Neill also fits with how things look. He’s been brought in to steady it, but the problems in the squad are still there, and they’re showing at a stage where there’s no room left for slip-ups.