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

Martin O’Neill has revealed that an unexpected overnight issue lay 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 Sunday’s Premier Sports Cup quarter-final. Fresh from an impressive display in the midweek win over St Johnstone – where he created Mika Baur’s winner and had a goal of his own controversially chalked off – Hassan had looked a certainty to start in Govan.

Instead, Sebastian Tounekti got the nod, and Hassan began the derby on the bench.

After the game, O’Neill explained that the call was driven by concern over the 22-year-old’s condition rather than form or tactics.

“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, speaking via the Scottish Sun.

The decision had already been put to him before kick-off, when the team sheets landed and Hassan’s name was missing from the XI. With Ibrox braced for another ferocious Old Firm encounter, O’Neill hinted that the demands of the fixture also played a part in his thinking.

“Yeah, I think that he will be on the field of play without doubt,” he replied when asked about the Frenchman’s absence from the line-up.

“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. On a day when Rangers turned the screw and Celtic never found their stride, O’Neill was not prepared to throw in a sleep-deprived winger into one of the most unforgiving environments in British football.

Hassan, who has quickly caught the eye with his direct running and creativity, will now be expected to re-emerge as Celtic look to respond to a bruising afternoon at Ibrox. The question is how quickly O’Neill leans on him again as the cup slips away and the focus snaps back to the rest of a demanding season.