Shaun Maloney gives Martin O’Neill update after taking reins for Celtic victory

Celtic assistant manager Shaun Maloney revealed his players received a major boost from a Martin O’Neill pre-match team talk before the manager continued his recovery from a medical procedure at home.

The William Hill Premiership champions recorded a 5-1 win at Kilmarnock in the absence of the 74-year-old.

But O’Neill was able to visit the team hotel to speak to his staff and players ahead of the game after an overnight stay in hospital on Wednesday.

Maloney said: “He was at the team hotel and took the team meeting, speaking to the players. Then he told the staff to get on with it.

“I’ve never experienced anything like what’s happened this week. The staff and the senior guys have been very good. I’m really pleased for the boss to get the win.

“The quicker we get him back the better. We’ll see how it goes day to day. He was much better, he was in good form when he spoke to the group.

Arne Engels, left, has been linked with a move to England PA Media

“You know what he’s like, his only instruction was to go and win.

The summer signing from Bodo/Glimt produced two close-range headers and a first-time finish before second-half goals from Benjamin Nygren and Luke McCowan rounded off an emphatic victory.

“He’s really settled in quickly,” Maloney said. “I was really impressed with his all-round game.

“Kilmarnock go man-for-man and try to press you aggressive. But everything that went up to him stuck and he was a platform for our team. The goals topped it off.

“We’ve watched him for a long, long time and we know if we create chances, he will score them.”

Celtic started with Alistair Johnston and Arne Engels, who are the subject of interest from Everton and West Ham respectively, but the Canada international went off at half-time.

“He felt something,” Maloney said about Johnston’s departure. “That was just precautionary, we hope.

“Arne was as good as I’ve seen him. It’s been hard for him in pre-season. He’s been with us the whole time and it’s not been an easy summer for him. He was really strong in wanting to put a performance on.”

Killie manager Neil McCann took responsibility for a heavy defeat after his team conceded 33 shots at goal, 16 of them on target.

McCann, whose team scored a consolation through Michael Schjonning-Larsen, said: “I’m taking responsibility. I’ve asked us to go a wee bit open and expansive and try and play. We’ve made mistakes that were severely punished.

“I felt for the first part of the game we were the better side, we were forcing things. A wee bit of quality just evaded us in the final third.”