MARTIN O’NEILL suffered defeat in his third comeback game as Celtic interimn manager in Denmark last night.

The fairytale return was obliterated when his team conceded three goals in a devastating eight-minute spell in the first-half of their Europa League encounter with FC Midtjylland.

The Hoops were left demoralised during a torrid onslaught with the defence collapsing in front of the exposed Kasper Schmeichel from the 33rd minute until the welcoming shrill of the referee’s whistle to signal the end of the opening period.

A late penalty-kick from substitute Reo Hatate put a better complexion on the scoreline, but there was no getting away from the fact Celtic were distinctly second best for most of a lopsided confrontation.

The mood of the visitors was not enhanced when teenager Callum Osmand had to be stretchered off near the end with what looked like a hamstring injury, a problem that has beset the champions with Filipe Jota, Alastair Johnston, Kelechi Iheanacho and Cameron Carter-Vickers all suffering from the problem.

As the Danes demolished the Hoops, they capably demonstrated why they have won all four of their European outings and sit at the pinnacle of the competition.

O’Neill took a deep breath...