SCOTTISH PREMIER LEAGUE: St Johnstone 0 Celtic 2: AND THEN there was one. Just a single fixture remains for both halves of the Old Firm before they square off in what promises to be a fascinating contest at Celtic Park.
There seems little chance of the gap between Rangers and Celtic, which sits at four points, being altered before the derby on December 28th.
Celtic were well aware of St Johnstone’s potential danger. The Perth team were victorious when the pair last met, in Glasgow four months ago. Perhaps a reminder of that encounter was issued by the Celtic manager, Neil Lennon, at half-time here; Celtic were an infinitely better side after the break than before it.
The only negative for Lennon was the suspected fractured cheekbone sustained by his centre-back Daniel Majstorovic. The Swede, one of Celtic’s better performers recently, sustained the injury during an early aerial challenge with David Robertson.
A dreadful first half produced just a single chance. Gary Hooper had it, with the Celtic striker denied by a Peter Enckelman save. The hosts’ response arrived after 47 minutes, Dave Mackay watching a low shot saved by Fraser Forster. From there, Celtic took command. Georgios Samaras was blocked at close range, before a James Forrest cross broke off the St Johnstone full-back Alan Maybury and almost deceived Enckelman. Celtic’s next chance fell to Hooper, who was brilliantly denied by the Finnish goalkeeper.
A breakthrough appeared imminent, and duly arrived. St Johnstone failed to deal with a Charlie Mulgrew corner, leaving Hooper to poke home. In a match where the first goal always looked crucial, that was a definitive moment. It was also Hooper’s ninth goal in 10 matches.
Ki Sung-yueng doubled the Celtic advantage. Beram Kayal blocked a St Johnstone free-kick on the edge of the Celtic penalty area –- illegally, the home team felt – in triggering a swift break. Forrest played a one-two with Samaras, before feeding Ki; a fine counterattack was rounded off by a back-post finish.
The only flirtation St Johnstone had with a comeback saw Marcus Haber shoot straight at Forster after a Victor Wanyama error. It rather summed up the bluntness of Steve Lomas’s side.
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