KIERAN TIERNEY watched and played in Celtic’s previous visit to Rugby Park this season.
Brendan Rodgers was easing the Scotland World Cup-bound defender back into action and started him on the bench against Kilmarnock in mid-September.
On-loan Uruguayan Marcelo Saracchi lasted 58 minutes before Tierney got the nod to join his team-mates who were leading 1-0 at that stage following a diving header from Daizen Maeda.
David Watson equalised when he was allowed a free header following a right-wing corner-kick, but the visitors got their reward for sheer persistence six minutes into stoppage-time when VAR instructed referee John Beaton to review a handball incident after Lewis Mayo had deflected a drive from James Forrest.
TOUGH TIMES…Kieran Tierney takes a breather as Celtic chase the points against Kilmarnock at Rugby Park in September.
The referee returned to the pitch, pointed to the spot and Kelechi Iheanacho, making his debut after replacing Maeda in the 71st minute, accepted the responsibility and thrashed the points-clincher high into the net.
Tierney is well aware of what to expect from Neil McCann’s reinvigorated Killie outfit.
Looking ahead to the confrontation on the home side’s plastic pitch, the 28-year-old left-back said: “It’s always tough going there and in the last few weeks they’ve had good results and better performances.
“It doesn’t matter if they are on form or not, but now they are on form, so it is going to be extra tough for us, so we need to play well.”
To many observers, Sunday could be pivotal in the title race with Martin O’Neill’s men kicking off at 2pm while their main rivals – Rangers and Hearts – meet at Ibrox with a 4.30pm start.
Asked if a good result for the champions could have an effect on the Govan encounter, Tierney, speaking to Celtic TV, answered: “You can look at it that way, but we just need to win our games. We need to focus on ourselves.
GOAL-DEN MOMENTS…Daizen Maeda dives to put Celtic ahead against Kilmarnock at Rugby Park earlier in the season while Kelechi Iheanacho (below) makes certain of a 2-1 victory with an unstoppable penalty-kick.
“The last few results have been good with last-minute goals and we just need to try and keep going, keep creating the chances and taking them.”
Hoops players were queuing up against Livingston at Parkhead in midweek to miss opportunities, with Maeda and new Bhoy Tomas Cvancara the main culprits, inside the opening 10 minutes before Saracchi walloped in the breakthrough goal.
The lack of finishing expertise almost cost the hosts when Robbie Muirhead levelled with a second-half penalty-kick and it was left to debutant Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain to cap a dream first appearance with the stoppage-time winner.
The importance of an early goal is acknowledged by Tierney who added: “We do want to do that, of course, but it’s never easy just going out and winning like that, we need to earn that.
“I think the last game where we scored a few was Dundee United at home and games like that are brilliant.
“But we know it’s not going to be every week that that can happen. We just need to be strong defensively and when we get our chances, take them.”
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