Luke McCowan scored on his first begin for Celtic because the workforce moved again to the highest of the Premier League with a convincing win over ten-man Motherwell.
After Aberdeen picked up a degree at Parkhead final weekend and received on Saturday night time, the Hoops know they have to rediscover their successful methods to regain high spot.
However Motherwell threatened first, with Lennon Miller hitting the woodwork twice within the early phases earlier than McCowan fired a low shot into the web.
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Scottish Soccer Studio discusses Liam Gordon’s purple card and why VAR made the appropriate choice to improve the yellow card.
Daizen Maeda’s objective was dominated out for handball and the guests had been awarded a penalty for a problem on the winger by Stephen O’Donnell.
Celtic appeared snug and Alistair Johnston, captain within the absence of Callum McGregor, doubled their lead with a header from Alex Valle.
Adam Idah got here off the bench to make it 3-0, with Liam Gordon subsequently despatched off after a VAR test for a severe problem on the striker.
Brendan Rodgers’ aspect are as soon as once more forward of Down on objective distinction, with Motherwell in fifth place.
Champions cruise to Fir Park victory
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Celtic beat Motherwell 2-0 at Fir Park, with Alistair Johnston scoring for the defending champions.
Rodgers has drawn three of his aspect’s six earlier visits to Fir Park, with all three wins coming in stoppage time.
Latest away video games may have been related if Motherwell had capitalized on one in every of their early possibilities, however Celtic by no means appeared again after McCowan’s opener and regained the lead on objective distinction. Burdine.
The Celtic boss went into the sport within the absence of captain Callum McGregor, who has missed out with a hip pressure, whereas Nicolas Kuhn and Arn Engels had been on the bench .
Marvin Caleta and Tom Sparrow joined Motherwell and, beneath Miller, the house aspect had the higher possibilities within the first quarter.
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Motherwell’s Lennon Miller almost took the lead towards Celtic at Fir Park, hitting the woodwork twice.
The 18-year-old hit the publish from 22 yards out, with Kasper Schmeichel trapped after Paul Bernardo misplaced the ball deep within the half. Moments later, the midfielder hit the crossbar after successful a 25-yard free kick.
Miller additionally threatened with headers from the again publish twice and assisted Sparrow with a again heel. The previous Stoke Metropolis man’s shot went straight into Schmeichel’s physique.
Daizen Maeda pressured Aston Oxborough right into a save and James Forrest had a number of crosses minimize out, however Celtic had been usually superb. It was troublesome to profit from their dominant possession till McCowan acquired a go from Alex Valle and took issues into his personal fingers.
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Ought to the Celtics rating a objective, a penalty or neither? Scottish Soccer Studio panel have their say
Celtic had the ball behind the web once more simply earlier than half-time, however there was chaos on the pitch and nobody celebrated after Maeda fell to the bottom following Johnston’s by ball.
Referee David Dickinson did not know what to provide and allowed video assistant Alan Muir to make the choice. There was suspicion that Stephen O’Donnell had pushed Maeda, however the ultimate penalty was a Motherwell free-kick for handball from the Japanese striker.
Motherwell left-back Ivan Wilson was off track with a half-chance earlier than Johnston ran in direction of the six-yard line to move house Valle’s cross.
Motherwell’s Liam Gordon is proven purple card for problem on Celtic’s Adam Idah
The objective roughly ended the sport. Motherwell had been unable to search out the ultimate ball to hassle any Celtic assaults and the guests continued to look threatening.
Reo Hatate made various shut saves and Oxborough made three saves, two of which got here from McCowan’s shot which Idah hit the publish earlier than Substitute Kuhn’s low go was returned from 6 yards within the 88th minute.
Gordon was booked for a cost on Ayda earlier than Dickinson was known as to the monitor and subsequently upgraded the cardboard’s colors.
Rogers: There was no malice within the purple card
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Celtic head coach Brendan Rodgers mirrored on his workforce’s 3-0 win over Motherwell and heaped reward on objective scorer Luke McCowan’s efficiency.
celtics supervisor Brendan Rogers say sky sports activities:
“It was an excellent efficiency and an excellent win for us. The second half, clearly, we stated at halftime that we would have liked to vary the ball of their 5-3-2 system. “
“You all the time must be cautious of Stewart and his workforce, they’re very organized and gifted gamers and gifted gamers can harm you.
“However within the second half, from the primary whistle, we managed the sport. We managed the sport very, very effectively. The sport ought to have been extra snug, however it’s a large credit score to the gamers.”
About Adam Ada
“I feel he felt slightly numb at first. It wasn’t a giant problem, I do not suppose the gamers had been attempting to harm him, the issue is while you get off the bottom,
“It shook his ankle and he struggled slightly bit, however then I believed as soon as he obtained shifting it was positive. We’ll have to attend and see (how the damage goes).”
Luke McCown may even launch extra works
“The rationale we introduced him in was as a result of we knew he had achieved these targets.
“His perspective, power and professionalism had been top quality. He deserved his begin and it was a really, superb end.”
“We noticed that in Dundee, we noticed that in coaching and I am actually comfortable for him.”
Kettlewell: Purple card ‘extraordinarily harsh’
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Motherwell boss Stuart Kettlewell stated he was happy with his workforce’s efficiency regardless of dropping 3-0 at house to Celtic and cited the choice to ship off Liam Gordon “Extremely harsh.”
motherwell boss Stuart Kettlewell exist sky sports activities:
“I spoke to the referee on the pitch, with none hostility, simply asking him what he noticed within the deal with.
“Some nonetheless photographs make issues look a lot worse than they really are.
“We may all see that Liam Gordon was in his ultimate phases and Adam Idah was selecting up pace and when contact occurred the referee talked in regards to the hinge in his ankle.
“There wasn’t a variety of energy within the deal with, he was simply attempting to get his toe off to steal the ball, however his timing was slightly unsuitable.
“I feel it is merciless.”
‘A surprising problem’
Sky Sports activities pundit provides his opinion on Liam Gordon’s problem on Adam Idah:
Chris Boyd:
“It was a surprising problem at first after which he obtained into it. I hope he (Ada) is okay.
“It was a surprising problem, a horrible deal with.
“You can see the underside of his leg, his ankle rolling. I do not know why it took so lengthy to get him off the sphere, it was a surprising problem.”
Neil Lennon:
“It was a dash and he caught his ankle. It was a purple card all day.”
