McGinn: "It won't be long until we ​

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give somebody a real ​

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going over and win 5-0 or 6-0."​

The International break came at exactly the wrong time for Celtic and their fans. A shabby 3-3 draw against bottom of the table Falkirk meant that the Bhoys remained top of the table, but the manner of the performance itself was soul-destroying.

Inept in defence, lacklustre in midfield, and profligate in front of goal until the substitute appearance of Scott McDonald, Tony Mowbray and his men headed toward a fortnight with no chance to repair the damage done.

This Sunday, Celtic could well find themselves sitting in second place, if arch-rivals Rangers win when they play Kilmarnock the day before. That being so, victory against a Dundee United outfit flying high this season takes on an entirely new significance.

While many pundits and fans alike will – understandably – dwell on the negatives, in-form winger Niall McGinn’s positive outlook today has come as a breath of fresh air to Celtic’s loyal fan base.

McGinn - a star of the future.​

McGinn, who joined Celtic last January, has already made his mark for Celtic this season. Scoring his first goal against Kilmarnock with a wonderful, precise strike, the Northern Irish International confirmed his arrival on the SPL scene.

Northern Ireland manager Nigell Worthington has already been effuse in his praise for McGinn in recent times. Again at the weekend, the young man's performance earned him high acclaim, with Worthington stating: "Niall's impish and exciting. I always knew there was something there, even before he went to Celtic. Niall will be a very important player in the future."

Meanwhile, the player himself remained upbeat with regard to the future for Celtic:

“We have been playing well in games for a few weeks now,” McGinn said. “Our problem has just been scoring goals. Our players have been getting in good positions and have just not been putting the ball away. But, hopefully, that is about to change.

“Having Marc-Antoine Fortune back from injury and available again will help our cause up front.

“We are creating a lot of chances. We took them against Falkirk, but unfortunately we let a few in at the other end. It won’t be long before we give somebody a real going over and win 5 or 6-0.

“The manager was obviously unhappy with how the team played in our last game against Falkirk.

“But there will be twists and turns during the course of a season, and the boys haven’t allowed their heads to go down at all.
“We are still positive and upbeat and will be hoping to do well against United on Sunday and get back to winning ways.”

Confident words, from a young man with a great future in the game. Celtic need a kick-start to their season, and this weekend provides them with the perfect opportunity.

DM