Jim Goodwin lamented Dundee United being dealt yet another tough hand by being scheduled to face one of the Old Firm immediately after an unpopular manager had been dismissed.
The Tannadice side were the next opponents to visit Ibrox following the departure of Rangers boss Russell Martin earlier in the campaign. They earned a respectable 2-2 draw that day but were overpowered 4-0 at Parkhead as Celtic supporters welcomed Martin O’Neill back for his first match since Wilfried Nancy was dismissed.
“Look, we had a similar situation when we went to Ibrox and Russell Martin had just been relieved of his duties,” he said. “We knew the atmosphere would have changed in the stadium at that point. We performed well on the day, took a point, possibly should have won the game.
“Today, we haven’t deserved to take anything from it. That’s the frustration, I suppose, from our point of view.”
He added: “When you come to Celtic at the best of times it’s always difficult, but coming into the game we knew there was a little bit of added extra to it with the change of management and the build-up to the game. I felt it would give the Celtic players a lift as well, and I think you felt that within the atmosphere in the stadium before the game.
“Celtic were back to playing a system and a formation that suits the players and one that the players are certainly more familiar with. We had to try and adapt to accommodate that. Ultimately we haven’t defended the box well enough.”
Goodwin also reflected on what might have unfolded had new Celtic signing Julian Araujo been dismissed in the first half for a high challenge on Will Ferry. The Mexican international received only a yellow card.
“For me, it was kind of a dangerous tackle if I’m being honest,” he said. “He looked as if he was a little bit out of control and he’s certainly caught Will Ferry a little bit high on the ankle and Will is feeling the effects of that after the game.
“It didn’t seem that VAR spent too much time looking at it,” he added. “Those are the kind of decisions that when you come to a place like this with Celtic playing the way they were at the time, you need those types of decisions to go in your favour. Unfortunately, today that wasn’t the case.”