Martin O'Neill tells one Celtic player he has 'got to learn' and reveals plan for Daizen Maeda talks

A 4-0 win over Dundee United meant Celtic returned to winning ways as Parkhead hailed the return of the popular Northern Irishman.

O'Neill made four changes to the team that lost 3-1 to Rangers in Wilfried Nancy’s last match in charge seven days earlier and reverted to a four-man defence much to the home crowd’s relief.

He handed Julian Araujo a full debut at right back rather than right wing-back.

“The young Bournemouth lad [Julian Araujo], he did really fine in the game....I hope he wasn't getting carried away with himself with you guys [the press],” O'Neill smiled.

When informed that the Mexican internationalist, who was signed by Nancy on the eve of the Frenchman’s final game, had called him “gaffer”, O’Neill replied: “Did he? So he should!”

Araujo was, though, perhaps fortunate to survive a red card shout following a high challenge on Will Ferrie shortly after Celtic had gone 2-0 in front through Arne Engels in the first half. The United man was left writhing on the ground. Araujo was only booked by referee Nick Walsh.

“I haven’t seen the challenge again," said O’Neill. "He’s got to learn. I get concerned when someone stays down. I think there was a feeling the lad was milking it, but he wasn’t. He was limping afterwards.”

As for Maeda, who put Celtic 4-0 up after 68 minutes when United goalkeeper Dave Richards failed to hold Sebastian Tounekti’s shot, O’Neill said he wanted to sort out the player's future in the coming days.

At his latest unveiling on Tuesday, the manager had said it was something he was going to do sooner rather than later. Having been preoccupied with preparing for the match against United, he hoped to sit down with Maeda, who has now scored eight goals this season, between now and playing Falkirk on Wednesday.

“I haven't at the minute," he said, when asked if there had been any more discussions with a player who wanted to leave in the summer. "I will do now that we've got a couple of days, you know, on Monday and Tuesday. I would hope that he'd stay at the football club.

“I'm fearful of saying something to you here and finding out maybe three days later something else has happened. But no, I wouldn't want to lose him.”

O’Neill is also preparing to step into the transfer market as Celtic prepare for a punishing schedule of four successive away matches, including Bologna in the Europa League.

“I am hopeful that we are going to get some people in,” he said. “But just when you think that something might happen, things change around.

“Listen, it's not me filibustering,” he added. “It's just me feeling that until they're over the line, I can't come up and say that it's happened. We obviously need to do it, even just to give help to the boys at present at the minute. Because this week, the week that's just gone, was the only week that we have had since I've come to the football club where we have had a free week.

"And from here on in, for I don't know how long, we're going midweek each time. So there'll be no respite. If we pick up injuries to really key players here, we could be in serious trouble.”