BENJAMIN NYGREN’S cool finish for Celtic’s third goal in the 4-0 win over Dundee United at Parkhead on Saturday was the Swede’s eleventh strike in his debut campaign at the champions.
The £1.7million recruit from Nordsjælland in the summer is the Hoops’ top scorer – claiming three more than last season’s 33-goal hitman Daizen Maeda – and the player was singled out for a special mention by Martin O’Neill when the Irishman completed his first stint as interim manager last month.
Following 33 disastrous days during Wilfried Nancy’s six defeats in eight games, the 73-year-old team chief is back in charge and preparing his squad for tomorrow night’s tricky challenge at Falkirk.
SWEDE DREAMS…Martin O’Neill praises cool Benjamin Nygren. Image courtesy Celtic TV.
O’Neill watched as Nygren added to the first-half strikes from Yang Hyun-jun and Arne Engels before Maeda brought down the curtain with a fourth against Jim Goodwin’s side that overturned a one-goal deficit to beat the Hoops at Tannadice during the Frenchman’s turbulent and short-lived stay.
Looking at the contribution from Nygren and the midfielders as they supplement the frontline, the stand-in gaffer said: “The more natural it is, the better chance you have of getting into those positions.
“But you can also learn it, as well, and I think that players who have not scored the number of goals really that their ability should suggest, that’s something that they can definitely learn.
“For instance, though, Benjamin’s goal against Dundee United, I felt it was exquisite.
“And I’ll tell you why, because it’s really under his feet for a start, he doesn’t panic, he doesn’t fly kick at it.
“He takes his time, he’s only on the field of play a minute or two, he digs it out from his feet and bends it into the net.”
LET’S HEAR IT FOR BENJI…£1.7million Nygren celebrates one of his 11 Celtic goals.
O’Neill, speaking to Celtic TV, added: “It looked very, very simple, but it’s really good goal because he could have thought: ‘I’m only on the field, I’ll just toe this in.’ However, he took it brilliantly.
“In the game that I watched on TV, he picked up some really good positions in the game at Livingston, as well, and got his two goals.
“I said to him I got as much pleasure out of him tapping the one in from about two or three yards, because he’s read the situation, he’s stayed, it’s flicked off somebody and there he is to tap into the net.
“And those goals, I think they’re vital, they are vital for confidence, but they’re vital for midfield players.”
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