Martin O’Neill Explains Haissem Hassan's Omission in Celtic's Derby Loss

Martin O’Neill has revealed that an “overnight problem” was behind his decision to leave Haissem Hassan out of Celtic’s starting line-up in the 3-0 defeat to Rangers at Ibrox.

The winger’s omission raised eyebrows before the Premier Sports Cup quarter-final. Hassan had been one of Celtic’s brightest performers in midweek, tormenting St Johnstone and supplying the cross for Mika Baur’s winner in a tight 1-0 victory. He even thought he had a goal of his own, only to see it controversially ruled out.

On derby day, though, he was on the bench. Sebastian Tounekti got the nod instead.

Speaking after the loss, O’Neill explained that the decision was driven by concern for the 21-year-old’s condition rather than any tactical rethink.

“Young Hassan had an overnight problem, and he didn't get much sleep in all honesty, so it was just a matter of not starting him because of that. That's the reason, really,” the Celtic manager said, via Scottish Sun.

The issue had already been put to him before kick-off, when Hassan’s absence from the XI fed speculation that the scale of the occasion had played a part. O’Neill hinted that the ferocity of an Ibrox derby was very much in his mind.

“Yeah, I think that he will be on the field of play without doubt,” he replied when asked about the winger’s chances of featuring.

“I think sometimes maybe just have a little look at the fixture itself, you know, the intensity of all of those particular things.”

The message was clear. In a quarter-final at Ibrox, with the noise, the stakes and the scrutiny turned up to maximum, O’Neill was not prepared to risk a sleep-deprived young winger from the first whistle.

Hassan, who had used the St Johnstone game to push his case for a regular starting role, now has to wait for his next chance. After a bruising 3-0 defeat to their biggest rivals, Celtic may need his spark sooner rather than later.