Martin O'Neill calls for Celtic fast start as Kasper Schmeichel remains side-lined
Martin O'Neill is looking for Celtic to be quick out of the blocks when they face Aberdeen at Pittodrie on Wednesday night.
The Hoops were mauled by Rangers in the first half of their William Hill Premiership clash at Ibrox on Sunday and found themselves 2-0 down and facing an uphill battle.
However, a header from left-back Kieran Tierney and a last-minute goal from substitute Reo Hatate in a stunning second-half comeback earned the visitors a well-deserved point.
Celtic are eight points behind leaders Hearts and two behind the Gers, with the trip to Aberdeen their game in hand over both the top two teams.
O'Neill is aware that the Parkhead outfit have also required late goals to win games against Dundee, Livingston and Kilmarnock in recent weeks and is hoping his side start on the front foot in the Granite City.
"The trip to Ibrox was going to be difficult in itself but we certainly can't spend 45 minutes on the back foot and not really competing properly," said boss O'Neill, who confirmed goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel will again miss out through illness with Viljami Sinisalo remaining between the sticks, while there are a couple of players with niggles.
"And that's against any side, never mind Rangers.
"So from our viewpoint, we've got to try and get a grip of the game earlier than we're doing.
"The players are obviously very pleased, as we all are, with the fight back.
"We did brilliantly in the second half. And as I said, not too many teams come from a 2-0 deficit at Ibrox to get something out of the game, which we did.
"Certainly, this is a big game for us tomorrow evening, a big match for us and we have to try and win the game if we can."
O'Neill hopes Schmeichel will have recovered for the Scottish Gas Scottish Cup quarter-final tie against Rangers at Ibrox on Sunday and sees the game against Aberdeen as another chance for Finland keeper Sinisalo to stake his claim.
"Kasper is still not feeling great so I will leave him to recover properly," said the Northern Irishman, who will again be without suspended defender Auston Trusty.
"He (Sinisalo) has done really well in the two games that he's come in.
"He came in for the European game against Stuttgart, made a couple of really good saves and did very well.
"And so he will start tomorrow night.
"I have been pleased with him. I thought he did fine against Rangers, really fine.
"And the goals that he conceded certainly weren't his fault.
"So I've been very pleased with him. And it's an opportunity, it's not the way that you'd want it to do.
"But it's an opportunity to see him because I think he wants to be the number one goalkeeper here in the foreseeable future."
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