The Light Blues hammered their rivals 3-0 at Ibrox in the Premier Sports Cup last weekend which left O’Neill licking his wounds.
And Scottish Sun columnist Bill Leckie suggested that, at 74-years-old, the Hoops icon may not have the same energy he once had to bounce back from poor results and performances like this one.
That point of view did not sit well with Keown who claimed Leckie was looking to “write off” the experienced boss.
But the former defender felt the opposite and that his ex-radio colleague will have been spurred on by the defeat to put things right.
“I hope he’s listening because Bill is trying to write Martin O’Neill off,” Keown said on talkSPORT. “You are.
“Celtic just won six games in the league going into Sunday so you’re making it – and that’s the way it is in Scotland – all about the Rangers/Celtic result.
“If he wins on Sunday he corrects all of that, doesn’t he? Let’s separate (LASK game) as that was an appalling situation to find yourself in. But the Rangers Celtic thing now, it’s a massive talking point now because obviously Rangers have beaten them, and can they knock them off their perch?
“I think it will fuel Martin and help him to correct it.”