Six Of The Best

With a 100 per cent start to the league campaign, as well as the added attraction of a good Europa League result and the chance of further progress in the League Cup, Neil Lennon has a lot to smile about

- Tony Connelly

CELTIC capped off another successful week with an impressive performance in their Europa League group-stage opener before continuing their 100 per cent winning run in the league with a 3-1 win against Kilmarnock. Neil Lennon has been delighted with his side’s performances of late, but the Celtic manager is not reading too much into it. Instead he is focused on the next game and maintaining the momentum ahead of another big week for the champions.

Celtic got their Europa League group games underway last Thursday away to Rennes. The French side were on form coming into the game, sitting second in Ligue 1 just behind Paris Saint-Germain who they had defeated one month prior.

The Scottish champions were undeterred by their opponents’ form, and took the game to the home side from the start. Celtic pressured Rennes with the kind of attacking football which has undone so many teams so far this season, while ensuring their opponents did not enjoy any clear-cut chance in front of goal.

Rennes were gifted a lead through a penalty converted by Senegal internationalist M’Baye Niang, but Neil Lennon’s side kept their heads up and eventually got the goal they deserved when James Forrest was chopped down inside the Rennes box. Ryan Christie stepped up and equalised for the Hoops and from there Celtic set about trying to get a lead.

When the referee blew for full-time, the score remained at 1-1, giving Celtic a point in Group E. The result also meant Celtic had gone five games in a row undefeated away from home in Europe, a feat only achieved on one other occasion during the club’s long and illustrious history. That was during Neil Lennon’s previous spell as manager.