Yet, the Northern Irishman, who was eager to avoid his men picking up any needless red cards as tempers flared, was unperturbed about having to intervene in the hostilities and restore order.

“I’ve managed this team when it was proper,” he said in the wake of the 2-2 draw. “This was feeble, really feeble. Somebody holding somebody’s shirt? They should watch a couple of rugby league games, then they will find out what having a go is. No, it was feeble on both sides.”

O’Neill, though, was far more complimentary about the fight which his charges exhibited during the course of the 90 minutes.

The visitors’ chances of taking anything out of an important derby game looked slim when they fell two behind to a Youssef Chermiti double in the first-half.

But they displayed great resolve after half-time and deservedly picked up a hard-fought point thanks to a Kieran Tierney header and an injury-time Reo Hatate strike.  

The hosts had Jack Butland, who saved well from Daizen Maeda and Luke McCowan, to thank for ensuring they avoided an ignominious and costly reverse.

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