Welcome return to form
After labouring to wins over St Johnstone and Motherwell in recent weeks, as well as the 2-0 defeat to St Mirren before that, Celtic’s domestic form has been a little iffy since their Champions League campaign began a month ago.
Having started the Premiership season in imperious form as they swatted their opponents aside with ease, the champions have had to show their mettle in their last two league outings to secure the three points.
This afternoon’s match was not like that. The early goals had Celtic cruising early doors at Parkhead and by midway through the first half the result was beyond doubt. They were confident and comfortable – Ange Postecoglou will be hoping for more of the same from here on in.
Forrest so nearly a centurion twice over
There is still something slightly unsettling about the notion of fresh-faced James Forrest being one of the elder statesmen of Postecoglou’s squad. The winger’s Celtic career spans well over a decade, he is one of the most decorated players in the history of the club and even though the 31-year-old doesn’t get as much game time as he once did, he once again underlined his importance in this routine victory.
It was Forrest that got the ball rolling, coolly slotting in Sead Haksabanovic’s delivery on 10 minutes to hand his team the lead, and he added his second of the afternoon midway through the first half – bringing his overall goal tally to 99 – before hitting the all-important third around the hour-mark.
With 99 assists to his name as well – in around 450 appearances – Forrest is now on the brink of becoming a centurion twice over for the Glasgow club.
Bernabei stakes his claim
After impressing at McDiarmid Park last weekend in his first Premiership start for Celtic since arriving from Lanus in the summer, Alexandro Bernabei was given the nod at left-back once again and the Argentinian seized it with gusto.
The 22-year-old linked up well with Haksabanovic during the first half before the Montenegrin was subbed off at the interval and he wasn’t shy about getting forward to support his side in attack.
The full-back’s low cross into Giorgos Giakoumakis for Celtic’s second - delicately curling the ball around the Hibs defence and leaving it on a plate for the Greek striker - was a thing of beauty, too.
