Celtic solidified their position at the summit of the Scottish Premiership standings with a hard-fought triumph over relegation-threatened Hibs at Parkhead yesterday. The victory widened the gap at the top to a commanding eleven points as Brendan Rodgers’ formidable side continued their impressive record of being unbeaten this season.
In a match that began with Celtic displaying some caution, Brendan Rodgers made four changes to his starting lineup from their previous match against Aberdeen. However, as the game progressed, the class and quality of Celtic shone through, culminating in goals from Arne Engels, a Joe Newall own goal, and a sublime finish from Kyogo Furuhashi that left Hibs and David Gray empty-handed.
Disappointed by the outcome, Hibs winger Nicky Cadden vented his frustration at missed opportunities that could have altered the result against the rampant Celtic team. Acknowledging the need for improvement in front of goal, Cadden emphasized the importance of capitalizing on scoring chances in future matches.
Hibs manager David Gray urged his team to take heart from their spirited performance against Celtic, encouraging them to focus on the positives and learn from their mistakes. Despite sitting at the bottom of the table, Gray lauded his team’s efforts and emphasized the significance of being more clinical in front of goal to secure valuable points in upcoming matches.
Celtic’s dominance over Hibs was evident in their 60th victory over the capital club from a total of 97 encounters. The last time Hibs emerged victorious at Celtic Park was back in January 2010 in a 2-1 result, highlighting the challenge of defeating the Hoops on their home turf. Over the years, Celtic has emerged victorious in all but 12 matches against Hibs and suffered defeat on just five occasions, underlining their supremacy in this fixture.
Looking ahead, Celtic’s focus now shifts to their crucial Champions League fixture against Dinamo Zagreb on Tuesday night. With manager Brendan Rodgers aiming to maintain their strong form in European competition, the team will be looking to continue their successful run and secure a positive result.
