Julian Araujo was handed his first start for Celtic in Saturday’s clash with Dundee United and he was quickly at the centre of attention.
The Mexican full-back was the only player brought in by Wilfried Nancy before his dismissal last week, joining on a six month loan from Bournemouth. Celtic were in complete control early on, building a 2-0 lead inside 35 minutes through goals from Hyunjun Yang and Arne Engels.
That dominance was briefly overshadowed when Araujo launched into a strong tackle on Will Ferry. Referee Nick Walsh opted to show a yellow card, but former Celtic striker Chris Sutton felt the defender was fortunate to escape further punishment.
Speaking on Sky Sports Football, Sutton said Araujo was lucky not to see red. He pointed out that the right-back had already been sent off once this season, receiving two yellow cards for Bournemouth in a League Cup defeat to Brentford back in August.
Sutton was clear in his assessment of the challenge, describing it as dangerous and out of control. In his view, it met the threshold for serious foul play and Celtic benefited from the decision staying as a caution.
While the tackle sparked debate, much of the post-match focus was on Martin O’Neill’s return to the Celtic dugout. Sutton, who played under O’Neill, was full of praise for his former manager and suggested his comeback will worry rivals.
He highlighted the clean sheet, the switch back to a back four, and the overall balance of the side as major positives. Sutton also noted Arne Engels’ confidence in a more advanced midfield role, the threat provided by Sebastian Tounekti on the left, and Benjamin Nygren’s impact after coming off the bench to score again.
According to Sutton, the performance underlined why Celtic remain such a formidable force, even as they chase ground in the title race.