Martin O'Neill speaks out on 'frustrated' Celtic star's future as frozen-out man holds crunch talks with boss

O'Neill held talks with McCowan on Friday and says the midfielder can force his way back into the team before Christmas despite recent omissions.

Martin O'Neill has held crunch talks with Luke McCowan after the midfielder was frozen out of Celtic's squad since late September. McCowan has made just seven substitute appearances this season following struggles in the Champions League play-off defeat to LASK and the Premiership loss to Rangers on September 20.

O'Neill acknowledged McCowan's frustration but insisted the 28-year-old still has a big future at the club. "There will be opportunities for him to get back before Christmas," the manager said. O'Neill noted that McCowan lost confidence in recent outings but trains well and is not to blame for Celtic's wider issues. The manager also referenced McCowan's strong form last season, when he made 42 appearances and earned a new contract until 2028.

McCowan could feature in tomorrow's Premiership match at Falkirk, with O'Neill planning to rotate ahead of Thursday's crucial Europa League clash with Besiktas.