Chris Sutton criticizes Celtic as easy opponents, while Hoops star questions the importance of the club’s anthem.

Chris Sutton has delivered a fierce assessment of Celtic after their 3-0 Premier Sports Cup defeat to Rangers, arguing that the Scottish champions have been exposed by a weakness they failed to address during the transfer window.

Celtic had entered the season with a perfect Premiership record, but Sutton believes those results have masked serious problems when the Hoops have faced stronger opposition. Their Champions League play-off collapse against LASK Linz and the emphatic loss to Rangers at Ibrox have strengthened his argument that Celtic can dominate lesser opponents without proving themselves in the biggest matches.

Sutton questions Celtic’s midfield

Sutton believes Celtic’s midfield was the biggest reason for their defeat against Rangers. He described the central area as lightweight and lacking the running ability and physical strength required in demanding matches.

He said Celtic’s midfield looked like a group of “five-a-side players” who could not cover enough ground and were ultimately bullied by Rangers.

According to Sutton, Celtic effectively gave Rangers control from the opening stages. That was particularly damaging because Derek McInnes’ side had experienced their own difficulties earlier in the season.

Sutton praised McInnes for changing his approach and suggested the Rangers boss recognised that Celtic could be vulnerable in the middle of the pitch. Other managers will now study the same weakness.

Engels sale still questioned

One of Sutton’s biggest criticisms concerns Celtic’s decision to sell Arne Engels without securing a suitable replacement.

Arne Engels of Celtic

The midfielder’s departure left a significant gap in the centre of the team, and Sutton pointed out that Celtic’s manager had previously acknowledged the need to replace Engels with someone offering a similar profile and qualities.

For Sutton, the obvious question is whether Celtic actually addressed that requirement.

He believes the answer is no, and argues that the Rangers defeat provided clear evidence of the consequences. Celtic now cannot make a significant correction until the January transfer window.

Sutton recalled an example from his own Celtic career to explain why physical strength in midfield can transform a team. After Celtic defeated Rangers 6-2 in 2000, they subsequently lost 5-1 at Ibrox. Neil Lennon was absent from the Celtic team that day, but the club later signed him to add greater strength and defensive protection to midfield.

Lennon became an important number six and helped Celtic recover, eventually winning the league comfortably.

Sutton believes Celtic should have made a comparable move after selling Engels rather than accepting the transfer fee without immediately replacing his qualities.

Is Celtic doing enough?

The former Hoops favourite also questioned the club’s wider ambition.

Using Celtic’s famous “Just Can’t Get Enough” anthem as a reference point, Sutton suggested that the current mentality appears closer to simply doing enough.

He argued that Celtic seem focused on finishing above Rangers and Hearts domestically, rather than demonstrating a broader ambition in European competition.

He believes supporters are entitled to question the direction of the club when recruitment has not solved an obvious weakness.

Celtic now face Ferencvaros in the Europa League before another meeting with Rangers on Sunday. Sutton insists the European campaign must matter to the club, and questioned how far expectations have fallen if Celtic are even considering whether to field their strongest available team in the competition.

Europa League pressure building

Sutton warned that results in the coming days could dramatically change the mood around Celtic.

The Hoops have an opportunity to respond immediately against Ferencvaros, followed by another Old Firm fixture against Rangers. A positive performance could begin repairing the damage caused at Ibrox, but another poor result would increase pressure quickly.

He believes Celtic supporters remain frustrated by the Champions League disappointment and the lack of sufficient transfer activity at the beginning of the campaign.

Sutton stressed that Celtic are a club where pressure can escalate rapidly. If they fail to beat Ferencvaros, or produce an unconvincing display, concerns will intensify. Another defeat against Rangers the following Sunday could create a hostile atmosphere at Celtic Park, where around 60,000 supporters will expect a response.

Another chance against Rangers

Despite his criticism, Sutton believes Celtic have been handed an opportunity to put matters right.

The return fixture against Rangers gives Brendan Rodgers’ side a chance to respond to the humiliation at Ibrox. Sutton expects Celtic supporters to demand a completely different performance and believes the players must approach the match with the mindset of correcting their mistakes.

However, he warned that Celtic cannot ignore what happened against Rangers or LASK. Winning league matches against weaker opposition does not prove they have solved their problems.

Sutton described Celtic as potential “flat-track bullies”, arguing that their unbeaten domestic run has come against opponents who have not consistently possessed the strength or quality to expose them.

Without enough physicality, pace and defensive running power, he believes stronger opponents can dominate the central areas and create major problems.

January could be crucial

Celtic now face a difficult period because the squad cannot be significantly altered until January. Sutton believes this leaves the club vulnerable for several months, with opponents potentially targeting the midfield weakness repeatedly.

He also questioned whether Celtic’s recruitment strategy reflects the ambition supporters expect. Missing out on Champions League football may have influenced their ability to attract key targets, but Sutton believes that cannot completely excuse the failure to strengthen an area the manager had already identified.

Celtic must therefore find solutions with the players already available.

Sutton’s comments underline the contrast between Celtic’s league record and their disappointing performances when the stakes rise. Their upcoming matches against Ferencvaros and Rangers will provide two immediate tests.

A victory could calm the situation, while another poor result may intensify criticism of the players, manager and recruitment strategy.

For Sutton, the message is straightforward: Celtic must compete, show greater physical strength and prove that their ambitions extend beyond simply finishing above their domestic rivals.

The next two matches offer an opportunity to do exactly that, but they could also expose the same weakness once again.