Ally McCoist has warned that Celtic's recent form is a cause for concern for the league leaders. The Rangers legend made the comments after watching his former club beat Celtic 1-0 at Parkhead on Sunday.

Celtic sit first in the Premiership with 18 points from seven games, holding a two-point lead over Rangers. That advantage was cut after Ryan Naderi's 33rd-minute goal secured the derby win for the visitors. It was Celtic's third consecutive defeat in all competitions, following a 3-1 home loss to Ferencvarosi TC in the Champions League and a 3-0 defeat at Ibrox in the previous league meeting.

McCoist's frank assessment

McCoist, speaking on talkSPORT, gave a direct assessment of the current situation. He pointed to the nature of the defeats, particularly the European result, as a significant factor. The former Scotland striker noted that while the league position remains strong, the momentum has shifted.

The club has not issued any public statement regarding manager Martin O'Neill's position following this run. O'Neill took charge at Celtic Park earlier this year. The team's overall record this season shows six wins and one loss from seven Premiership fixtures, with 14 goals scored and only four conceded.

Context of the slump

The recent slump marks a stark contrast to the strong start Celtic made under O'Neill. Victories over Aberdeen, St Mirren and St Johnstone had built an early cushion at the summit. Striker C. Durán has been a bright spot, leading the team with three goals so far. However, the side will be without winger Jota for the foreseeable future due to injury, a detail confirmed on the club's injuries page.

Attention now turns to halting this slide. Celtic do not play again until after the international break, with a trip to face Motherwell scheduled for October 11. Motherwell currently occupy ninth place in the table. The full schedule leading up to the next Old Firm clash is available on our fixtures page.

McCoist's warning shows the fine margins at the top of Scottish football. Despite the healthy points total, the psychological impact of three losses, especially two to their closest rivals, presents a new challenge for O'Neill and his squad. The manager will have an extended period on the training ground to address issues before the league campaign resumes at Fir Park.

Read the full report at Daily Record Football