'At The End Of The Day, Hopefully The Quality Of Our Players Can Shine Through'

A Word With John Kennedy

- Joe Donnelly

IN the aftermath of Sunday’s dramatic 4-1 home win over Motherwell in the SPFL, the Celtic players were praised for their attitude, determination and mentality.

The victory saw the Hoops re-establish an eight-point gap at the top of the Scottish Premiership, and extend both their perfect home record this season, and their immaculate domestic start to the calendar year.

Just three days after a hard-fought UEFA Europa League last 32 encounter with Valencia at the Mestalla Stadium in midweek, the Hoops hosted an on-form Motherwell, who ahead of last weekend’s match, were the only other SPFL team to have recorded six consecutive league wins since the start of 2019 besides Celtic.

Wonderfully-worked goals from Scott Sinclair – his 60th for Glasgow’s green and white – and Odsonne Edouard saw the Hoops go two in front before half-time, and they returned from the break confidently pursuing a third that would surely put the game out of sight.

Instead, the visitors pulled a goal back of their own in controversial circumstances, when Ryan Christie sustained a hamstring injury, and team-mate Kris Ajer passed the ball out of play to allow a substitution to be made.

Motherwell’s James Scott did not return the ball in good faith, and, with many Celtic players out of position, the 18-year-old striker ran towards the byline, forced a fine save from Scott Bain, before Gboly Ariyibi netted from the rebound.

Despite this instance of poor sportsmanship, a resolute and determined Celtic bounced back with two stunning goals ahead of the full-time whistle – one, a 25-yard free-kick from 21-year-old Frenchman, Edouard on 88 minutes, and another two minutes after that from Olly Burke following some fine combination play with James Forrest on the right.