Celtic head into a pivotal stretch of fixtures that could shape the tone of their season, starting with a Europa League opener against Ferencvaros before a high-stakes rematch with rivals Rangers in the league on Sunday.
The Scottish champions arrive at this juncture under a cloud following a chastening 3-0 defeat to Rangers in the Premier Sports Cup quarter-final at Ibrox, a result that has intensified scrutiny on manager Martin O'Neill and his squad. That setback came hot on the heels of a Champions League play-off exit to LASK, where Celtic collapsed in Linz after conceding a flurry of chances across both legs.
Despite the alarm among supporters, O'Neill has pushed back against the growing criticism, pointing to his side's domestic form. "It's strange you're never asked about team selection when you win games," he said. "We've been doing a fair amount of winning domestically now for quite some considerable time and we've won our league games so far. It's another big test for us on Sunday, obviously, but it's amazing the number of times you're not questioned when you've won."
Celtic have indeed continued their winning habit in the league, extending an unbeaten Premiership run to 13 matches with six straight victories to open the new campaign. Yet the manner of those results has raised eyebrows, with four of the six wins coming by just a single goal. Early-season form did include some eye-catching attacking displays, netting 12 goals across three matches against Kilmarnock, Dundee United and LASK in the first leg of their Champions League tie, fuelled largely by significant investment in attacking talent over the summer.
Of the club's new arrivals, Camilo Duran has emerged as the most influential, contributing six goals and three assists in ten appearances. However, record buy Kasper Hogh and fellow big-name addition Haissem Hassan have yet to find their footing at Celtic Park.
Former striker Chris Sutton, speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live's Monday Night Club, was blunt in his assessment of the club he once represented, branding them "flat-track bullies" for their tendency to beat weaker opposition while faltering against stronger sides. Sutton said he held "great concerns" for O'Neill's team, describing their midfield as "lightweight" and stating they had been "run all over" by Rangers. He went further, claiming the club now has "big issues" to address.
Even within the squad, there has been an acknowledgement of deeper problems. Captain Callum McGregor described his teammates as playing like "a team of individuals" in the aftermath of the Ibrox defeat.
Statistically, the warning signs are difficult to ignore. Celtic have faced 64 shots in just six Premiership matches this season – matching Hearts' total and six more than Rangers have conceded. Across both legs against LASK, they were exposed to a staggering 60 attempts, with 40 arriving in a chaotic second-leg collapse. That volume of shots faced already represents close to a quarter of what they conceded throughout the entirety of last season's title-winning Premiership campaign under Brendan Rodgers.
There is a silver lining, however: despite facing more shots, Celtic's current goal concession rate in the league remains improved compared to last season, while their scoring and shot output have also risen.
Ultimately, the coming days may prove decisive in shaping perceptions of O'Neill's project. Victory against Rangers on Sunday would move Celtic eight points clear of their fiercest rivals, offering a timely response following the cup defeat and European disappointment. Whether that would be enough to silence the doubters remains to be seen.
Based on reporting from BBC Sport.