Celtic were outright favourites this afternoon against St Johnstone who have been fighting for their survival in the top tier of the Scottish pyramid. The Hoops settled for a 1-1 draw with Motherwell in the previous gameweek, but they bounced back in Perth despite being behind at the break after some sloppy defending. Second-half goals from skipper Callum McGregor and Matt O’Riley helped them widen the gap at the top of the Premiership standings. Substitute James Forrest sealed the deal in the closing minutes of the contest.
Celtic players rated in their 3-1 win against St Johnstone.
Joe Hart: 6
Should have done a lot better with his outing to collect the ball before Diallang Jaiyesimi found the net following a goalmouth scramble.
Cameron Carter-Vickers: 7.5
Dominated the aerial duels as well as exhibited his excellence while playing it out from the back. Made some timely clearances and committed tactical fouls to break down the opponents’ rhythm.
Liam Scales: 7.5
Showed his calmness and composure while partnering with Carter-Vickers in the heart of the backline. Was in the right place at the right time to deal with the Saints’ attacking threats.
Greg Taylor: 7
Performed his defensive duties with tackles and recoveries. Tried to balance his game in both ends, but he should have done better in terms of attacking contribution.
Callum McGregor: 8
The skipper led by example when his stunning strike brought the Hoops back in the game midway through the second half. Was having a hard time before that with failed dribbling attempts, lost duels and misplaced long balls from the middle of the park.
Matt O’Riley: 8.5
Showed his all-round ability as he not only carried the ball forward from the deep but also kept on regaining possession in midfield. Capped his contribution with a stellar goal to grab a 2-1 lead late in the match.
David Turnbull: 6
Had an effort denied by Dimitar Mitov between the sticks. Was not as effective as his fellow midfielders, and therefore, was replaced by Hyun-Gyu Oh around the hour mark.
Yang Hyun-Jun: 5.5
Another disappointing afternoon for the South Korean winger who created a few chances from the right-hand flank but failed to pose a constant threat on the Saints backline. Was replaced by Mikey Johnston at half-time.
Luis Palma: 7.5
Whipped in crosses from the left, contributed to the attacking build-ups and his link-up play often caused menace in the St Johnstone half. Made way for James Forrest late in the game.
Kyogo Furuhashi: 7.5
Missed a few chances to find the net. But he set it up for O’Riley who grabbed the lead around the 79th-minute mark. Was taken off for fellow countryman Tomoki Iwata with five minutes remaining of the regulation time.
Celtic Subs vs St Johnstone
Mikey Johnston: 6.5
Looked impressive with his runs and movements from the right-hand flank.
Oh Hyun-Gyu: 6.5
Added more directness in the Celtic attack.
James Forrest: 7
Found the net following a fast break minutes before the final whistle.
Tomoki Iwata: 6.5
Registered an assist for Forrest’s goal.
