Cameron Carter-Vickers has urged Celtic to stay unified as they aim to recover from a difficult week of back-to-back defeats. The American defender spoke out after a 3-0 Premier Sports Cup quarter-final loss at Rangers was followed by a 3-1 home defeat to Ferencvaros in their Europa League opener.
Carter-Vickers acknowledged the disappointment felt by the squad. "Difficult game," he said of the European loss. "Obviously it didn't go our way. Off the back of last weekend as well we’re disappointed with both of those."
Celtic had levelled against Ferencvaros through Mika Baur just before half-time, but former winger Daniel Arzani struck for the Hungarians within two minutes of the restart to restore their lead. The result leaves Celtic with two consecutive losses, a stark contrast to their perfect start in the Premiership where they sit first with 18 points from six games.
Looking to Sunday
The focus now shifts immediately to Sunday's league meeting with Rangers at Celtic Park. Carter-Vickers emphasised the importance of a collective response in front of their own supporters. "We want to come out on Sunday, with the crowd behind us and everyone together and try to put a performance together that will get the result we want," he said.
He pointed to the significant squad changes over the summer, with ten new arrivals joining a title-winning group that underwent substantial transformation. Carter-Vickers referenced his own experience of needing time to adapt, recalling how performances improved after six months under Ange Postecoglou and later under Brendan Rodgers.
Celtic's league position remains strong, holding a five-point lead at the summit, but the recent form shows three wins and two losses from their last five outings. The full fixtures list shows the immediate chance for redemption against their city rivals.
Manager Martin O’Neill now faces key selection decisions, especially with several players currently sidelined including Alistair Johnston, Callum Osmand, and Jota. The team's top scorer this season is C. Durán with three goals, and they will need his threat against a Rangers side sitting third in the table.
The 3-0 loss at Ibrox last weekend, with goals from D. Neil and K. Kelsy, is fresh in the memory. Carter-Vickers' call for patience and togetherness is designed to steady the ship ahead of a match that could define the early season narrative. Celtic host Rangers on Sunday, 20 September, looking to protect their unbeaten league record and extend their five-point advantage at the top of the standings.
Read the full report at The Scotsman Football
On September 22, Rangers' Dan Neil revealed manager Derek McInnes's approach before Sunday's derby. Neil said McInnes gave a "real kind of war cry" and stressed the league game's importance. "He said, 'Forget last week... If we lose this game, it's potentially eight points,'" Neil stated. The 1-0 loss at Celtic Park, with Ryan Naderi scoring, cut Celtic's lead at the top to two points. Celtic have now lost three consecutive matches.
