Celtic: ‘Big asset’ Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain makes immediate impact with ‘Separator Goal’

Oxlade-Chamberlain has trained with Arsenal in recent months and thanked the Premier League leaders for helping them make progress in Glasgow.

“This means a lot,” he said after his dramatic return to competition.

“I have to say a huge thank you to everyone at Arsenal, for giving me the opportunity to keep fit, and an even bigger thank you to the manager here for giving me the opportunity to put on this kit and play for this amazing club.

“When you get those opportunities, you want to be able to give back with moments of quality like that.

“It’s been difficult. Sometimes, the way things go in football, especially when you’re over 30, you’re not as valuable as you were before commercially.

“I knew I still had a lot to give, and training every day for the last three months that I have been training, has given me confidence that I can still give a lot to the game.

“I’m thrilled to be here and have the opportunity to do this and help these boys.”

The 32-year-old’s last-gasp goal moves Celtic within a point of Rangers – who drew 1-1 with Motherwell – in second place and closer to Hearts, while O’Neill’s side hold that game within reach of both.

Oxlade-Chamberlain added: “Tonight is a great start for me, but more importantly keeping our goals alive and keeping us moving in the right direction.”

He says he jumped at the chance to move to Parkhead with a little nudge from his father.

“It’s an amazing opportunity. When it came, I didn’t doubt it for a moment,” he said.

“My father comes from an era when this club meant a lot. He immediately said to me: ‘I’ll take you to the car and drive you there myself.’

“It’s a great start, but I know there’s a lot more to it than 13 minutes.”