'Celtic look every bit a team who've had three managers'

Celtic are running on fumes but can they stumble over the line in the title race?

Martin O'Neill's side are third in the table, three points off Hearts at the top with five games to play, including home matches against Hearts and Rangers.

It's been a turbulent season for the defending champions who started the season with Brendan Rodgers at the helm and will be ending it with former manager O'Neill in charge for his second interim spell.

Sandwiched in between was an eight-game nightmarish stint with Wilfried Nancy leading the team - they lost six of those matches before the Frenchman was sacked and O'Neill returned in an effort to save the day.

And while results have improved under the Northern Irishman, performances have been a struggle. Only one of their past six league wins has been by more than a single-goal margin.

All of that has led to suggestions from some fans that Celtic look poorly coached, but Paul John Dykes of A Celtic State of Mind Podcast feels that level of criticism is unfair.

"Celtic are playing like a team that have had three managers," Dykes told the BBC's Scottish Football Podcast.

"With regards to the way that we are playing, the uncoached thing, it's maybe a wee bit unfair on Shaun Maloney, Mark Fotheringham and O'Neill because it's been such a dysfunctional season.

"We've had three managers, one of which came in twice, we have a few players in this squad at the moment who came to the end of their cycle in the summer and we weren't at the point where we could replace them.

"So they're now playing and they're running on fumes. You you look at [Daizen] Maeda compared to last season, different player entirely.

"We have all the hallmarks of a team that absolutely needs to tone up and rebuild in the summer and I just hope that we do have enough of those fumes to get us over the line this season.

"The uncoached thing is a little bit harsh I think because they'll be working on it all week. But it's a result of everything that's happened this season, I believe, and the players are playing with a bit of fear.

"Uncoached - Martin O'Neill hopefully will have the last laugh on that one."