I thought Celtic masterplan was a mistake but I was right to withhold judgement as Martin O'Neill silences critics – Chris Sutton

Sutton praises O'Neill's tactical gamble in Besiktas win after initially doubting the team selection, saying the result offers hope in Europa League despite inconsistency concerns.

Chris Sutton admits he had doubts about Martin O'Neill's team selection for the Besiktas match but was proved wrong by Celtic's surprise victory. The manager made several bold calls, including starting Sebastian Tounekti over Callum Osmand, fielding 35-year-old James Forrest instead of Haissem Hassan, and keeping in-form Camilo Duran on the bench before introducing him late.

Sutton acknowledges the gamble could have backfired but credits O'Neill and the team for delivering when it mattered. He notes Celtic looked "dead and buried" in the Europa League but now have a genuine chance to progress, with winnable matches ahead against Toreense, Omonia, and Marseille. However, he emphasises that consistency remains the key issue—Celtic's performances have been inconsistent and a comfortable win against Kilmarnock on Sunday is far from guaranteed.

Sutton also defends new signing Jordan Lotomba, saying it's unfair to blame him for a difficult debut against Besiktas given the transfer window timing, and argues that Duran and Osmand must start more regularly going forward, though Celtic's midfield lacks the legs to accommodate both strikers simultaneously.