Reo Hatate capped off a memorable European night for Celtic by scoring his first UEFA Champions League goal against RB Leipzig on Tuesday.
The Scottish Premiership giants delivered an eye-catching display to triumph 3-1 winners at Parkhead. A result that's put Celtic right back into contention as they aspire to progress beyond the league phase.
The rejuvenated Nicolas Kuhn, who's double put Celtic in the ascendancy following Christoph Baumgartner's early opener, has been gaining most of the plaudits since the full-time whistle.
Yet former Hoops striker Chris Sutton thinks Hatate continues to take his game to new levels and spotted one admirable change.
Many questioned his role in a Brendan Rodgers side when David Turnbull was chosen ahead of him at the start of last season. However, the 26-year-old has since proved a key cog in the Celtic team and has been trusted to start several important matches throughout the current season.
Discussing the midfielder's increased performances this season and how he's solidified himself as a mainstay in the starting XI, Sutton wrote in his Daily Record column: "Crucially, Hatate must be catching the only two eyes that really count. Those of Rodgers.
"Yes it is a squad game and yes having the options is vital to the way Celtic want to play. But, whatever anyone says, the first pick team for the bigger games tends to tell you a lot. Sure there’s horses for courses, but when you get the nod the majority of the time, then for my money it shows when you are in the pecking order.
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"Four Champions League games so far and Hatate has started in three of them. Old Firm game. Started. Cup semi-final against Aberdeen. Started. That tells you what he’s delivering for Rodgers on a day-to-day basis and something else has caught my attention with Hatate over the past week.
"I’m sure I’m not the only one who felt that, at times, he wasn’t getting through games. When the subs board went up after an hour or so, you sensed he would be one to get replaced. Myth or not, it happened plenty in the past. But he’s blown that notion out of the water this week.
"When the numbers went up seven days ago at Hampden, Hatate’s was never sighted. The full 90 minutes against the Dons and he was at it right until the end.
"He doubled down on that spectacularly against Leipzig. Although absolutely superb in the first hour, many in the stadium were still slightly surprised when it was Engels who made way for Bernardo against the Germans and not the Japanese.
"Hatate justified Rodgers’ faith and more. Not only did he grow even stronger in that last hour, he added his first-ever Champions League goal to seal the deal.
"Make no mistake, that 90-minute performance of that quality against that standard of opponent is a real statement from the player of where’s at once again. Hatate is back to that thrilling best with outrageous talent and an engine to keep it all running.
"At 26, he's five years older than Engels, four more than Bernardo and looks to be really grasping that senior-figure responsibility. It was where I thought he’d be last season. No wonder Hatate and the boss were smiling together afterwards."
