IN terms of copybook blots, Celtic’s solitary domestic blip this season is right up there on the severity chart right alongside captain Chelsey Sullenberger landing US Airways flight 11549 in the Hudson River and forgetting to turn off the seatbelt sign before wheeching down the fire escape.
During a campaign that up until last night had contained four Betfred Cup matches, two William Hill Scottish Cup ties and 26 games in the Ladbrokes Premiership, this high-flying Celtic team had won 31 out of those 32 encounters.
The one slip if you can even call of that came on this tricky patch of turf in the shadows of the Kessock Bridge, the picturesque scene spoiled for Brendan Rodgers as his team conceded a late goal to be held 2-2.
Read more: Brendan Rodgers hails 'complete' Celtic performance as title inches closer
A reasonable person could perhaps have forgiven the Celtic team that day for being ever so slightly jaded. They had after all just come off their own flight after crashing to a 7-0 defeat away to Barcelona in the Camp Nou. Given that pre-cursor, coming away with a point at a fledgling state of this season at the time was seen as not the worst outcome.
Twenty one straight league wins since that afternoon on September 18, though, a relentless Celtic team still remained irked by those two points conceded over five months ago as they arrived at the Tulloch Caledonian Stadium eager to keep this momentous unbeaten run going.
Predictably, they did so with little fuss, as they now stand just seven points away from their sixth title on the spin.
Any sense of trepidation on returning to the scene of that petty crime would have been added to by Inverness Caley Thistle’s dramatic 2-1 win over Rangers on Friday night. Yes, getting the better of managerless Rangers isn’t the greatest feat in the world, but considering it was the Highlanders’ first win in four months, it was enough to raise more than an eyebrow.
Yet, despite putting up a stuffy fight in the opening half an hour as Celtic appeared jittery in the Arctic conditions, goals from Scott Sinclair, Stuart Armstrong and a Moussa Dembele brace soon warmed things up for the thousands of travelling fans in the South Stand in this 4-0 victory. Richie Foran’s men rarely troubled Craig Gordon – a Billy McKay shot and a well saved Liam Polworth fizzer late on was about the best of it – but the way they stalled this well-oiled juggernaut will be of some consolation for the Irishman and his bid to keep Inverness in the Premiership.
Read more: Brendan Rodgers hails 'complete' Celtic performance as title inches closer
However, they really didn’t help themselves at times long before Owain Fon Williams’ howler put Celtic out of sight just 12 seconds into the second half. With the visitors constantly pressing and Caley Thistle restricted to counter attacks, often the ball out from the back wasn’t good enough to alleviate the pressure.
A re-jigged team from Rodgers eventually came good and visibly relaxed with the arrival of Dembele’s 30th goal of a mesmerising campaign. Mikael Lustig was brought back in for Cristian Gamboa, while Gary Mackay-Steven was given a rare run out on the right wing for the injured James Forrest. Interestingly, captain Scott Brown was shunted further forward with Nir Bitton anchoring the team at the base of midfield.
Mackay-Steven was an impressive influence on the game throughout on what was just his eighth appearance of the season and it was his early effort after gathering a cleared corner that caught the eye. The 26-year-old shifted the ball on to his left on the edge of the area to fizz a shot through a ruck of players, but Fon Williams did well to parry.
Celtic had plenty of possession but looked stumped by a stuffy Inverness defence, yet they were eventually undone with a moment of magic two minutes before the break. Sinclair got the better of Ross Draper 25 yards out in front of goal. The forward wriggled free, created space and bent a wonderful shot out of the diving reach of Fon Williams.
Read more: Brendan Rodgers hails 'complete' Celtic performance as title inches closer
If the Welsh keeper was blameless for that one, he was utterly culpable just seconds after the restart for the next. A Gary Warren pass back seemed straight forward for him but for a devilish bobble. A fluffed clearance spun up a yard from the keeper’s boot only for Dembele to nip in, chip him and slot into an empty net.
Celtic were cruising by this point. A Dembele run allowed him to slip in Sinclair to try and grab his 18th of the campaign, but his shot was well saved. Moments later, A Mackay-Steven jink and cutback to Armstrong ended similarly.
However, Armstrong was not to be denied. A foul on Sinclair after 66 minutes by Louis Laing gave the Celtic midfielder an opportunity from 25 yards out on the left side. The Inverness-native obliged with a stunning free-kick arching over the wall and into the near top corner.
Celtic still weren’t done as Dembele hauled his tally to 31 with 17 minutes to go. A raking Kieran Tierney through ball sent the Frenchman on his way one-on-one with Fon Williams. With a delicate chip, there was only ever going to be one winner.
A statement that looks increasingly likely to be the slogan to define Celtic’s season.
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