Celtic have won 14 of the 15 games they’ve played since losing to Bayer Leverkusen in November.
They drew the other one, on a bizarre night in Paisley when what looked like St Mirren’s youth team were sent out to face them and somehow managed to dig in for a merited 0-0 draw.
Celtic have scored 31 goals in that run, conceding only eight and the only team to score more than one goal against them was Real Betis, who still lost 3-2.
But the stats don’t tell the full tale of this remarkable run of form that has taken Ange Postecoglou’s men to the top of the Premiership.
They might supply the facts in black and white but they don’t paint the picture.
This team is going through a purple patch but the raw statistics don’t provide the colour and they can’t display the pace and panache with which this team is dispatching the opposition.
They don’t show the relentlessness which over-whelms the other team and which should be, in all probability, coughing up more than just over two goals a game in this 15-match unbeaten run.
Liel Abada driving at left-backs and delivering low crosses and dangerous cutbacks for inrushing midfielders. And that’s only when he’s not appearing in between the posts with the timing of a Rolex to convert crosses from the left.
This has become the little Israeli’s trademark and he was at it again on Sunday with his 14th goal of the season to start the rout that ended in the 4-0 win over Motherwell.
Jota’s trickery on the other side. Daizen Maeda’s pace and Giorgios Giakoumakis’ strength and ability to link the play. The Greek hasn’t scored in the last two games but that’s down to the defiance of Allan McGregor in the Old Firm clash and Liam Kelly on Sunday.
Giakoumakis rarely misses the target when provided with a chance, though, and his return to fitness has been vital at a time when Kyogo Furuhashi – a completely different type of striker – has been missed and Ange Postecoglou’s options at centre-forward have been limited.
Motherwell were the latest team to feel the force at the weekend when Tom Rogic’s two goals were sandwiched between counters by Abada and Maeda.
Fir Park keeper Kelly, despite retrieving the ball out of his net four times, made at least the same number of saves to prevent it becoming a humiliation and believes there are times you just have to admire the quality of the opposition rather than beat yourself up over a heavy defeat.
“We were up against a really good side who were probably a bit much for us,” he said. “In the first half we tried to give it a go and they picked us apart.
“There were a couple of goals that we could have done better with ourselves. I’m a wee bit disappointed with the second goal. I should probably save that.
“But I’m not sure it actually impacted the outcome of the match.
“Celtic are capable of doing that to most teams. But you like to be in the game. You want to give a better account of yourself but the match was done at half-time realistically.
“You have to try to stay in it for as long as you can. We tried to have a go but they punished us.
“They were too good for the press we tried to put on. We got caught in between most things. They have top players and made us pay.”
Celtic were 3-0 up at the break and Postecoglou kept Reo Hatate and Abada inside at the interval, bringing on Nir Bitton and James Forrest.
Midway through the second half, Jota, Matt O’Riley and Josip Juranovic joined the party.
“It’s not ideal when the players they have on the bench come on,” Kelly admitted. “You feel like going off yourself!
“They are a brilliant team with a lot of quality. You see the subs they bring on and they’ve still got some top players who are still injured.
“Celtic were well deserved winners. It was a good day for them and a poor day for us. We just need to focus on Wednesday night now.”
That’s a trip to Tannadice and the chance to end a run of five league games without a win.
Kelly said: “It’s good we’ve got a game so quickly. I’m enjoying this time just now when it’s game after game.
“We’re still in a strong position in fourth although it’s getting quite tight in there. We’ve been the fourth best team in the league up until now so we want to try to stay there and make sure we are the fourth best team come the end of the season.
“That starts with another tough game on Wednesday night against a Dundee United team who will fancy their chances as they beat us up there last time.
“We know we need to be better but ultimately Sunday against Celtic was just a bit too much for us.”
