CELTIC 3 ST MIRREN 0
NORMAL service resumed at Parkhead this afternoon as Nicolas Kuhn thumped in a double to shoot down St Mirren to help power Celtic to a THIRTEEN point advantage at the Premiership pinnacle.
Brendan Rodgers’ men overcame the Ibrox stumble on Thursday as they quickly got back into their stride on this occasion with the German touchline ace firing in two goals to hoist his tally to 16 strikes in a prolific campaign.
Adding to the feelgood factor in Paradise, defender Auston Trusty, who arrived in a £6million switch from Sheffield United on deadline day, collected his first goal for the champions.
Everyone was given a clue what to expect as early as the 15th minute the visitors blatantly wasted time at every shy and deadball-kick.
Keeper Zach Hemming was the main culprit and, annoyingly, referee Grant Irvine did nothing to instruct the Paisley side to get a move on.
Despite the distractions, the champions started well and could have scored inside two minutes, but Adam Idah’s precision was out as he sent in a header from a right-wing corner-kick by Arne Engels.
Kuhn, putting down a marker for what was to follow, looked lively on the right wing and he dovetailed well with Alistair Johnston to carve an opening in the 26th minute, but the defender’s low cross was held by Hemming.
BHOY OH BHOY…Nicolas Kuhn celebrates another crucial goal.
The hosts displayed a patient outlook as they surged forward to be confronted by stubborn blue-clad defenders.
However, the barrier-breaking goal arrived in the 33rd minute after a sweet move that sliced open the opposition rearguard.
Callum McGregor knocked a pass to Luke McCowan who cleverly eased into space before releasing Daizen Maeda on the flank with an inch-perfect pass and the Japanese speedster wasted no time in whipping a low cross to the lurking Kuhn.
The pacy forward raced into a great position and first-timed a left-foot drive low past the exposed Hemming.
Nine minutes later, Maeda blew the chance to double the advantage when he was in the clear with the keeper in no-man’s land. A lob would have brought great dividends, but the flanker attempted a low shot and it was diverted by Hemming.
But there was no escape for the Saints two minutes from the break when Auston Trusty claimed his first goal for the club.
The Hoops earned their sixth corner-kick of the first-half and once more Engels trotted over to take the award. And, once more, the £11million Belgian playmaker curled a vicious inswinging ball towards the near post.
It was USA defender Trusty who reacted first in a packed penalty box to get his head to the ball to bullet an effort into the net from inside the six-yard box.
HAPPY VIEWING…Brendan Rodgers watches as Celtic get the business done.
Nine minutes after the break, only quick reactions from Hemming prevented the hosts from claiming a third when the Paisley netminder was swift to save following a deflection from an Idah effort.
Maeda was a continuous threat on the left and he created chaos as he drove at the defence, but the final pass was often being blocked while Idah struggled to find vital space.
In the 67th minute, Kuhn, normally so deadly, hit a close-range effort against the chest of the keeper, but only moments later he did grab No.3.
Johnston and McGregor combined on the right before the captain clipped an inviting cross into the box.
Engels flicked the ball in the direction of Kuhn, but it looked as though Marcus Fraser had snuffed out the danger as he attempted to intercept the pass.
The defender and the keeper were not quite on the same wavelength as they allowed the ball to reach the prolific winger and he tucked a drive into the inviting net.
He won’t get an easier goal for the remainder of the season.
Rodgers made his first changes of the afternoon in the 70th minute when he sent on Reo Hatate and Yang Hyun-jun for McCowan and two-goal Kuhn.
Thirteen minutes later, Kyogo Furuhashi and Luis Palma joined the action as Idah and Maeda made way.
The points-gathering quest continues on Wednesday when the champions welcome Dundee United to Parkhead when the Hoops have the opportunity to open up a massive 16-point advantage with Philippe Clement’s side taking on Dundee 24 hours later.
TEAM: Schmeichel; Johnston, Carter-Vickers, Trusty, Taylor; Engels, McGregor, McCowan (sub: Hatate 70); Kuhn (sub: Yang 70), Idah (sub: Kyogo 83), Maeda (sub: Palma 83).
