Scottish football: Celtic celebrate O'Neill's homecoming with 4-0 Falkirk rout

Celtic manager Martin O'Neill marked his homecoming in style as he guided the Hoops to a crushing 4-0 defeat of Falkirk at Parkhead, sending a statement of intent under his interim management team.

O'Neill's arrival has come after Brendan Rodgers' shocking resignation on Monday night, and while it was a mixed bag for Celtic fans who continued their protest against major shareholder Dermot Desmond outside the stadium, O'Neill's team showed no signs of nerves as they dominated Falkirk from start to finish.

Goals from Johnny Kenny and Sebastian Tounekti in the second half added to the three that followed an early opening goal by Benjamin Nygren, leaving the visitors reeling. Celtic's 4-0 win moved them six points behind Premiership leaders Hearts, who drew 2-2 against St Mirren, but the Hoops remain five ahead of Rangers.

O'Neill was in fine form after the game, praising his players for delivering a convincing performance that calmed some of the doubts surrounding the team. He highlighted the talent and experience within the squad, noting that there were "a number of winners" among the players who had been struggling to find form.

The win also marked a positive start under new Rangers manager Danny Röhl, who has impressed with his back-to-back league victories over Kilmarnock and Hibs. The Ibrox side are now up to third in the table after their 1-0 win at Easter Road.

Aberdeen made a statement of intent of their own as they moved up to 10th place with a 1-0 victory over Kilmarnock, courtesy of Stuart Armstrong's first goal for the Dons. The win has given Jimmy Thelin breathing space after a dismal start to the season, and Aberdeen now find themselves four points clear of bottom club Livingston.

Motherwell ensured they will head into their League Cup semi-final against St Mirren in high spirits after beating Dundee United 2-0 at Fir Park. Tawanda Maswanhise's opener before the break, followed by Elliot Watt's excellent strike with 13 minutes remaining earned the hosts a deserved win.

I'm so glad Celtic finally got that big win under O'Neill ! I was worried they'd be in for a season of struggle after Rodgers left, but it looks like they've still got some quality players on the squad . That 4-0 thrashing of Falkirk is just what they needed to get their campaign back on track . And props to O'Neill for getting his team sorted so quickly - he's definitely got the Celtic touch !

OMG, Celtic just absolutely SMASHED it against Falkirk ! Martin O'Neill is living his best life as an interim manager and proving all those doubters wrong . The team was on fire from start to finish, and I love how they just went for it without holding back ️. It's so cool to see the talent and experience shine through in players like Johnny Kenny and Sebastian Tounekti . And can we talk about the new Rangers manager Danny Röhl? He's making some serious waves with those back-to-back wins . I'm also loving Aberdeen's 1-0 win over Kilmarnock, it's been a while coming for them, but they're on fire now !

So Celtic is finally on track now after that crazy drama with Rodgers leaving and all... I mean, O'Neill's got some solid talent at his disposal, but we'll have to see how they translate into actual wins in the league. 4-0 against Falkirk was nice, but it's not like Hearts just sat back and let them win or anything . And what's up with Rangers now? Röhl seems like a breath of fresh air after that disastrous appointment . Aberdeen moving up to 10th place is sick too - Armstrong's goal was the icing on the cake . Can't wait for the League Cup semi-final between Motherwell and St Mirren, should be lit !

idk why people r so stressed about celtic's new manager, martin o'neill is probs better than brendan rodgers lol anyway, i think celtic should just stop protesting against dermot desmond and focus on winning games like they did today. all these protests are just gonna make the fans look bad besides, rangers are doing way worse without their old manager and aberdeen is killing it after that weird start to the season. gotta love how danney rohl is already getting the best out of his team

I don’t usually comment but I gotta say O'Neill seems like a breath of fresh air at Celtic ! 4-0 crushing of Falkirk was definitely a statement of intent and it’s great to see him praising his players for delivering a convincing performance . The fact that he highlighted the talent and experience within the squad is music to my ears, especially with all the uncertainty surrounding the team lately . Now I’m not gonna lie, I do hope he can keep up this momentum, but from what I've seen so far, I'm feeling pretty optimistic about Celtic’s chances this season

I don't get why people are making such a fuss over Celtic manager Martin O'Neill. I mean, yeah, he won that game against Falkirk 4-0 and all, but it was still a decent squad they had out there. And btw, didn't Brendan Rodgers just leave them? That's like saying the whole team failed just because one person left

And what's up with these fans protesting outside the stadium? It's not like O'Neill is some newbies coach or anything. He's got experience, I'll give him that. And btw, Rangers are already up to 3rd place now

I'm also loving how Aberdeen made a statement of their own. Stuart Armstrong scoring his first goal and all That's what I call motivation! And Motherwell beating Dundee United 2-0? Please, they're just happy to be in the League Cup semi-final, whoop-de-doo

Omg what a win for Celtic!!! Martin O'Neill killing it as interim manager, the team was so on point! I'm loving the confidence boost after that massive 4-0 thrashing of Falkirk . The fact that they dominated from start to finish is just incredible . I think Benny Nygren's goal was a highlight reel moment ⏀️. And can we talk about how well Sebastian Tounekti performed? The future looks bright for Celtic, let's see if they can keep this momentum going! #CelticFC #MartinO'Neill #InterimManagerLife #FalkirkBlues #HoopsUp

I gotta say, O'Neill's team looks super strong right now . Like, they totally dominated Falkirk and it was no surprise to see them score those four goals. But seriously though, it's like Celtic has been waiting for someone to take the reins and lead them back to greatness. I mean, Rodgers just up and left without even giving O'Neill a chance to prove himself, but I think he's gonna do just fine . And btw, have you seen the stats on Falkirk's squad? Like, they're basically made of players who are 30+ and it's no wonder they got thrashed .

omg u guys cant believe martin o neill just smashed it in his first game back as celtic boss!!! i was watching live and its clear he brought some serious energy to the team. they played like total pros and it was so satisfying to see them take down falkirk 4-0. benjamin nygren's goal in the 1st half was pure magic and johnny kenny and sebastian tounekti killing it with the goals later on. its clear o neill knows what he's doing as a manager now cant wait to see how celtic do against hearts next week!

omg did u no celtic just smashed it 4-0 vs falkirk!!! martin o'Neill's arrival is defo a good sign for the team, they looked so confident out there and it's awesome to see ben nygren score that 1st goal but u know what would make it even better if some of those fans outside just chill lol anyway back 2 o'Neill he seems like a class act now we gotta see how the rest of the season goes for the hoops

finally got some decent news about Celtic for once, seems like they're getting their act together under O'Neill

lol what's going on with these Scottish teams? I mean I know it's football but it feels like they're all just trying to outdo each other in some sort of bizarre competitiveness Celtic just absolutely destroyed Falkirk and O'Neill seems like a total pro, love how he's already got the squad on board and that Rangers guy Danny Röhl is killing it with back-to-back wins Aberdeen's also doing alright for themselves after a rocky start and Motherwell just ended their losing streak, fingers crossed they can keep it up but seriously, who's gonna win the title now?

OMG, Celtic fans are literally breathing down O'Neill's necks to deliver results ASAP I mean, the guy's got a big task ahead of him but this 4-0 win is definitely a good start . But let's be real, it was Falkirk who looked like they were in for a hiding ️... and yeah, the protests against Desmond outside the stadium were still going on . Can't wait to see how Röhl's doing at Rangers, btw - 2 wins out of 2 is no joke ! And Aberdeen making a statement with that 1-0 win over Kilmarnock?

omg lol celtic just smashed it 4-0 lol what can u say 2 celtic fans r out protesting but i think martin o neill did gr8 1st match he said his players got talent & experience which is true lol they did dominate the game n i'm lovin it 3rd place now Rangers n 10th now Aberdeen 4 points clear of Livingston lol motherwell beat Dundee united 2-0 u wud think theyd b nervous but no way lol their goalie did gr8 job

omg did u see that game?? Celtic is back on track under Martin O'Neill!!! I'm lovin' the vibes from the squad, especially those goals in the second half . The defense was solid and the forwards were on fire . And can we talk about Sebastian Tounekti for a sec? He's like a new man out there . Danny Röhl is gettin' it done at Rangers too, those back-to-back wins are impressive . Aberdeen is makin' a statement with Stuart Armstrong's first goal, and Motherwell just got themselves a sweet win against Dundee United . The Scottish Premiership is shapin' up to be an exciting season, can't wait to see what's in store!

The Old Firm is back and it feels like we're in for an exciting ride! Celtic just absolutely annihilated Falkirk, and I'm loving every minute of it Martin O'Neill seems like the perfect fit to get this team firing on all cylinders, and that 4-0 win was nothing short of dominating I mean, who needs nerves when you've got players like Kenny and Tounekti coming up with goals for fun? The fact that Celtic took the lead early doors just shows how sharp they are, and it's great to see O'Neill giving his team the confidence boost they need. Meanwhile, Rangers are looking strong under Röhl, and Aberdeen's win over Kilmarnock has them suddenly sitting pretty in 10th place Now we're gonna have a blast watching these teams battle it out for the top spots!

aww man that's a great win for Celtic!!! o'Neill seems like a really down-to-earth guy who cares about his players and is trying to bring out the best in them... it's awesome to see him praising their talent and experience and btw 4-0 is an insane score fal Kirk didn't stand a chance lol what's with the protests outside the stadium tho, hope everything gets sorted soon anyways, love how Rangers are doing so well under Röhl, he's definitely got them looking fierce

omg I'm dyin over celtic's performance today ️ they totally dominated fal Kirk and it's clear O'Neill is on top of things! benjamin nygren getting an early goal was a game-changer, and the rest of the squad just built upon that momentum. 4-0 is insane! i love how o'neill highlighted his players' talent & experience, it's like he knew exactly what to say to boost morale. the league table is already getting more interesting with rangers and aberdeen on the rise

I'm loving this resurgence under Martin O'Neill , the way he's got the squad clicking is just brilliant . The attacking firepower they showed today was phenomenal , and it's clear that the players have been working hard to get back on track . As an outsider, it's hard not to feel like there's a bit of destiny in this team right now ️... can't wait to see how the rest of the season unfolds !