Japan’s Reo Hatate and Kyogo Furuhashi each scored twice as champions Celtic strengthened their grip on prime spot within the Scottish Premiership with a 4-1 victory over St Johnstone.
It got here after Ange Postecglou gave Celtic followers one thing to probably look ahead to after he was requested about reported curiosity in Yokohama Marinos midfielder Tomoki Iwata.
“We’ll see what Santa brings,” he joked.
On the sector itself, the success in entrance of their very own followers at Parkhead noticed Celtic restore their nine-point lead over arch Glasgow rivals Rangers.
Drey Wright pulled a objective again for the guests in a match the place Celtic substitute David Turnbull was despatched off in stoppage time after a VAR verify for his foul on Saints goalkeeper Remi Matthews.
Postecoglou was left lower than impressed, not a lot by the decision however how lengthy it took to come back to it.
“The referee handled it, gave him a yellow card, however these days clearly there are different eyes on it,” he stated.
“The keeper was getting remedy for the way lengthy? After which we wait till the keeper is up on his ft to go and verify it. It simply takes too lengthy, there isn’t a want.
“I’m disillusioned for Bull as a result of I don’t suppose there was any intent.”
Hatate’s double was all of the extra spectacular given the midfielder was deployed at right-back within the absence of the injured Anthony Ralston and with Josip Juranovic on a post-World Cup break.
“He was nice,” stated Celtic supervisor Ange Postecoglou of Hatate.
“Reo has performed left-back earlier in his profession, which I knew from Japan, however he’s not a full-back, that’s for certain.
“Credit score to him, I believed even defensively he did a very good job and stored his self-discipline and his place. As quickly as I informed him, he was all in.”
Celtic went forward within the 14th minute when Furuhashi despatched compatriot Daizen Maeda sprinting down the left.
Maeda’s low cross ultimately got here to Hatate, with the makeshift full-back’s 20-yard strike finishing a made in Japan objective.
Furuhashi doubled Celtic’s lead 4 minutes later, flicking in a cross from Matt O’Riley, earlier than his close-range end 5 minutes earlier than half-time left the Hoops in full command at 3-0.
Hatate’s second objective within the 52nd minute was initially disallowed for offside earlier than being reinstated following a VAR verify.
