Reo Hatate rampaged forward from a new role as Celtic again moved nine points clear in the title race. Ange Postecoglou’s side rounded off the calendar year on their own patch in familiar style as they sank St Johnstone to complete the whole of 2022 unbeaten domestically in Glasgow's East End.
Reo Hatate, who operated at right-back in absence of a trio of unavailable colleagues, opened the scoring as the champions made it 17 wins from their first 18 top-flight games. Kyogo Furuhashi moved onto the 14-goal mark for the season with two before the interval and Hatate added his own second before being denied a hat-trick by a post.
Callum Davidson’s side had no answer. The Perth team scrapped and battled, but they were picked apart by the quality of the hosts and Drey Wright’s second-half strike, which stood after a VAR check, offered little consolation. Postecoglou absolutely bossed it and had few issues in extending their lead at the table summit after a bright start.
The only downside for the champions was an injury time red card dished out to sub David Turnbull. The sub had been on the park just a few minutes when referee Kevin Clancy was called to the monitor to check his challenge on Saints keeper Remi Matthews. Following a VAR review, Turnbull’s offence when he caught the Perth No.1 was deemed a sending-off.
Kyogo thought he’d headed an opener inside five minutes, but keeper Remi Matthews clawed his effort out and Matt O’Riley failed to break his season’s duck at the club when sliding wide moments later. Saints had little threat. Stevie May did head a Graham Carey free-kick just wide, but Hatate opened the scoring with 14 minutes on the clock.
Aaron Mooy fed the Japanese and his 20-yard strike took a slight deflection as it roared beyond Matthews into the net. The lead was quickly doubled when Kyogo got across the front post to flick home a drilled cross from O’Riley for the second.
Kyogo almost poked a third before he got it five minutes from the interval to finish off a brilliant team goal. Celtic moved it from the back through O’Riley and Mooy to let the Aussie get James Forrest away with a delightful through pass.
The winger took his time to let Kyogo to get into a position and delivered a perfect low centre for the striker to flick over Matthews and into the net to make it three by the break.
Hatate thought he had been denied his second by an offside flag at the beginning of the second period, but, after a VAR check, he was ruled onside after a pass inside from Forrest was helped into his path and he beat Matthews from a tight angle.
Carl Starfelt and Forrest came close to a fifth before Saints pulled one back. May was denied in a one-on-one with Joe Hart, but Wright knocked home the rebound at the second attempt.
Hatate almost had the final say when he clipped the outside of a post after a pass from sub Liel Abada and sub Giorgos Giakoumakis missed a couple of chances. Turnbull's late VAR red card took some shine off the win, but the job was long done.
Here's three talking points from Parkhead:
Reo Adaptability
Postecoglou found the answer to his right-back issue in Hatate with Anthony Ralston injured, Alistair Johnston not yet available and Josip Juranovic not back from the World Cup. The Japanese was at ease in the position and showed his attacking instinct by getting forward to crack home the opener. Hatate wasn’t tested defensively, so it was a manageable situation which he handled comfortably and he strutted forward again to crack his second of the day after the half-time interval. Excelled in the role and almost had a treble.
Saints still in good shape
Callum Davidson and team arrived in Glasgow on the back of a six-game unbeaten run which included a win over Rangers and defeat in Glasgow’s East End can be rapidly erased. The Perth team were simply undone by higher-quality players across the park and can get their bid to stay in the top-six back on track with a crucial home game against Hearts on Wednesday. Full marks for keeping at it until the end and getting a goal through Drey Wright, even if they could have lost a few more than four.
Giako no go and Kyogo all go
The Celtic manager made alterations in the wide attacking positions with James Forrest and Daizen Maeda taking over from Liel Abada and Jota, but Kyogo kept the central position with Giorgos Giakoumakis again starting on the bench.
The Japanese grabbed his 13th and 14th goals of the season to prove the manager right with his decision, but he can’t go every single week. The Greek got a late shout from the bench, but it looks increasingly likely that Postecoglou will add a new hitman to the ranks just shortly.
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