LOSING your leading goalscorer normally has an adverse impact performances and can lead to some disappointing results.
But Celtic coped, albeit against rivals who have not had their troubles of seek of late, admirably without Kyogo Furuhashi against Aberdeen at Parkhead this afternoon.
Early goals from Callum McGregor and Reo Hatate were followed after half-time by a further strike from Hatate, who was deservedly named Man of the Match, and a late Liel Abada effort.
The comfortable 4-0 triumph meant the defending champions' maintained their nine point lead over Rangers at the top of the cinch Premiership table - and also ensured they will be in a positive frame of mind when they meet the Ibrox club in the Viaplay Cup final at Hampden a week tomorrow.
The return of Furuhashi, who showed the shoulder injury he had suffered seven days ago was not too serious when he replaced Oh Hyeon-gyu in the second-half, capped a satisfying afternoon for Ange Postecoglou.
Here are five talking points from a match which edged Celtic a little closer to another Scottish title.
OH PROMISE
Postecoglou had moved Daizen Maeda from left wing to striker when Furuhashi went off early on in the Scottish Cup win over St Mirren last weekend and the Japanese internationalist had promptly opened the scoring.
But the Greek-Australian, with Furuhashi not considered fit enough to start and being named among the substitutes, deployed Maeda out wide and chose Oh to lead the line this afternoon.
The South Korean, a £2.5m signing from Suwon Samsung Bluewings during the January transfer window, opened his account for his new club last weekend with a classic poacher’s strike after coming off the bench.
But could the 21-year-old justify being handed his first start? His club mate has been on target on no fewer than 22 occasions in the 2022/23 campaign so he certainly had big boots to fill. He rose to the challenge admirably.
He did well to pinch the ball off Jonny Hayes in the oppoition box and pick out Maeda with an accurate diagonal delivery in the first-half and he then teed up Maeda for a shot in the second.
The new recruit is an entirely different kind of forward to Furuhashi. He looks similar in style to the player he was brought in to replace, Giorgos Giakoumakis, in some respects. This outing continued his encouraging start to his Celtic career. He received warm applause from the crowd when he was replaced.
VAR TOO LONG
Referee Willie Collum made, with a little help from his VAR colleagues in Clydesdale House, the right call when he rescinded the penalty he had awarded Celtic seven minutes before half-time.
Replays of the incident showed that Hayes had fouled Maeda. But footatge of the build-up also proved that Jota had been offside when McGregor played him through before that. It would have been an injustice if the spot kick had been allowed to stand.
But why did it take so long to arrive at the ruling? The players had to stand around in the rain for an eternity waiting for the match official to receive feedback from the VAR control room and the supporters grew restless.
It was inevitable that our whistlers were going to take some time to adapt to the new technology when it was finally introduced in this country last year. But they have had months to get to grips with it now and should have ironed out any teething problems which they encountered.
HART ATTACK
Celtic goalkeeper Joe Hart kept another clean sheet as the Parkhead club won with the minimum of fuss against opponents who are struggling for form and are currently without a permanent manager.
But the former England internationalist did his very best to gift the Pittodrie club a goal after half-time; first he passed the ball straight to Hayes and then he misjudged a Carl Starfelt passback and gave away possession to Ylber Ramadani.
If Barry Robson’s charges had managed to capitalise on either of those unforced errors, which were committed when they were only trailing 2-0, then it would have given them a lifeline.
Hart is a wonderful goalkeeper and has been a big part of the success which Celtic have enjoyed in the past season and a half both at home and abroad. But he remains prone to a mishap with the ball at his feet. He must realise that sometimes it is best just to take the easy option and shell to safety.
KYOGO BOOST
Postecoglou stated yesterday that Furuhashi would be able to take part in the Viaplay Cup final against Rangers at Hampden next week despite the injury he had picked up in the emphatic win over St Mirren.
The free-scoring predator, who netted both goals in the 2-0 triumph over Hibernian in the final of the same competition last season, underlined that would be the case when he came on for his understudy Oh in the second-half.
The £4.6m signing from Vissel Kobe is a darling of the Celtic support for a reason. They are a far more dangerous team with him in the starting line-up than out of it.
If there is no adverse reaction to his runout, he will start next weekend and increase his side’s chances of retaining their trophy.
DONS WOES
Jack McKenzie returned from injury today and, with Liam Scales unable to play against his parent club, slotted in on the left side of a three man Aberdeen defence alongside Angus MacDonald and Mattie Pollock.
It was not a game to be welcoming back a long-term absentee and fielding a new-look rearguard in. The visitors, who fell two goals behind in the opening 13 minutes, were fortunate just to concede four.
The Pittodrie club have a run of far easier games than this coming up. Caretaker Robson has to lift the spirits of his charges and shore up his backline to get them up into the top six.
