Lippi tips O'Neill for United job

'O'Neill is a very well organised and effective coach so to have been under consideration shows that he has created something quite special at Celtic.'

European success is the one missing line on an impressive cv but O'Neill believes he is already plugging the gap in his knowledge.

He said: 'This experience has had an immense impact on my football education. We came out of winning the SPL, which was hard work, and went into Europe realising that the games were going to be harder and that proved correct.' Sir Alex Ferguson has already achieved much of what O'Neill dreams about - as has the coach against whom he will pit his wits this evening.

Lippi has been ordained as one of the greats of recent times and is both friend and foe of Fergie. He won the competition in 1996 but then United beat Juve 3-2 in Turin to progress to that epic final in Barcelona two years ago. O'Neill's Celtic were unlucky to lose by the same scoreline in the Stadio Delle Alpi in their opening Group E match.

'You can certainly learn from great managers,' said O'Neill, 'especially one like Lippi who has vast success and experience in European football. He's a great, great manager - one of the best.'

And then came the sting: 'But he had played a number of Italian league games before they played us in the first match and had always played with a back four. Then he changed the system to a three for the first time and you could take it as a compliment - that it was to counteract our own, that he went like for like.'

Lippi later told reporters that he had made a mistake which had ulimately cost them at least one of the Celtic goals but O'Neill was dismissive of the excuse, saying: 'You can be as accommodating as you like when you've won the game.'

But what of tonight? So much hinges on the results in Group E. Celtic can reach the next phase if they beat Juventus and Porto fail to beat Rosenborg in Portugal. But if the Norwegians win and Celtic lose, O'Neill's men will miss out on a UEFA Cup place as well by finishing bottom of the group. Juve have already secured a place in Friday's second-phase draw and are expected to rest key players such as Lillian Thuram, David Trezeguet and Igor Tudor.

O'Neill has a full squad to choose from and knows a victory could ensure the chance to further enhance Celtic's diminished reputation on the continent as well as boost his own.