ARNE ENGELS will remain focused as he prepares to play his part in Celtic’s 2024 curtain call against St Johnstone at Parkhead on Sunday.
The stylish Belgian playmaker, the champions’ record signing at £11million on deadline day, paved the way for the latest success as he made his usual accomplished job from the penalty spot in the 4-0 win over Motherwell yesterday.
The Hoops had toiled to put their stamp on the opening period with the Fir Park side offering stubborn resistance.
However, the hosts upped the pace after the break and rival keeper Aston Oxborough was tasked with picking the ball from the back of his net a further three times after goals from Daizen Maeda, Nicolas Kuhn and Reo Hatate.
SPOT ON…Arne Engels tucks away his penalty-kick as keeper Aston Oxborough guesses wrong.
Engels smiled in the aftermath of a Boxing Day Green Party in Paradise as Brendan Rodgers’ men stormed to a 12-point lead at the Premiership pinnacle as they zero in on a fourth successive title, their thirteenth championship in 14 years and their 55th crown in their glorious history.
But the big-money 21-year-old international is taking it all in his stride as he says: “The games are coming quickly and we know this.
“We will be back in for a recovery and then we go again at the weekend.
“That’s what we do and that’s what we are good it, so it’s nothing special for us, we know what to do.”
Engels swept in his fourth penalty-kick – not including his conversion in the spot-kick shoot-out as Celtic claimed the Premier Sports League Cup earlier this month – and Oxborough had no chance as the ball flew in low and hard into the corner.
The classy middle-of-the-park performer, speaking to Celtic TV, added: “Everybody trains on them, so everybody can take a penalty.
“I’m lucky I’m the one who can take it first, but everybody is really good in training.
“It’s really important to get a goal, especially at the end of the first-half because you come in to the second-half with even more confidence.
“We created a lot of chances and we also defended really well. It was really well done from the whole team.”
