There was something paradoxical about Kasper Schmeichel's save against Erling Haaland that both defied time and made perfect sense.

With Celtic edging the preseason friendly against Manchester City 1-0 in the throes of their marquee tour of America, the towering Norwegian sought to restore parity on the scoreboard.

A diagonal run broke the defensive line between centre-backs Stephen Welsh and Liam Scales, before the 24-year-old fastened onto an expertly-weighted through-ball. He shifted his body weight to nullify Greg Taylor's late defensive stretch from the left channel, and rattled a shot towards goal across the oncoming goalkeeper.

We've seen Haaland score these types of goals time and time again in light blue – and yet we've seen Schmeichel make these fearless one-on-one saves with the same recurring frequency.

On this occasion, the latter prevailed, prompting City's veteran commentator Alistair Mann to opine: "[It's] one of those trademark saves that the Schmeichel family have been so good at over the years."

In the moment, the almost-38-year-old Kasper appeared to wind back the clock with a signature stop akin to those that grabbed headlines at Leicester City – not least when the east Midlands outfit secured the English Premier League in 2016.

At the same time, as astutely observed by Mann, the Denmark internationalist seemed to mirror his father's iconic figure between the sticks, cutting the same brave angle-narrowing shape that cemented Peter Schmeichel as a household name in the 1990s.

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Now having reunited with Brendan Rodgers in Glasgow's east end, and with more silverware firmly in his sights, Kasper has no plans of slowing down.

Given his old man didn't call time on his own illustrious career until he was almost 40, the parallels between father and son at this juncture in their playing days are clear.

Can Kasper match his dad's medal haul from here on, though?

"I've got a long way to go to do that!" Schmeichel joked. "I think I'd need to play for another 15 years to do that."

As it stands, Schmeichel has around 12 months to up his tally, having signed for Celtic on a one-year deal before jetting out to meet his new teammates on their USA tour last month.

As outlined above, Schmeichel featured there against Manchester City in Chapel Hill – a short wander from where basketball legend Michael Jordan cut his teeth for the University of North Carolina in the 1980s – and then Chelsea in Notre Dame a few days later.

Upon his return to Scotland, Schmeichel made his competitive debut in green and white in last Sunday's Scottish Premiership opener against Kilmarnock, where the Dane kept a clean sheet and his outfield peers put four past the visitors without reply.

In the stands stood Peter, watching his son in what was an entertaining afternoon at Celtic Park.

"[My dad] was buzzing when I signed," said Kasper. "I think he sees a lot of trips to watch games and golf days.

"He works for the America broadcasters who do the Champions League, so he's been to Celtic Park a few times particularly on European nights, and he says it's special.

"I haven't been here myself on a European night, I played here in a friendly and I snuck myself in once for an Old Firm game when I played for Falkirk, so I have experienced that. It was in the Celtic end.

"It's always different when you get to experience it. I've never been to any game where I haven't wanted to be out on the pitch to experience it. It's never the same watching on."

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In just six weeks, Schmeichel will have experienced one of the fiercest derbies in world football and the UEFA Champions League on the pitch as a Celtic player.

With the return of away fans to Old Firm fixtures this season (3,000 travelling Rangers supporters are expected at Celtic Park on Sunday, September 1), and the Champions League's new group-stage-replacing league format, there's an element of the unknown about what lies ahead.

Pulling on 20 years' worth of experience, however, Schmeichel is not only unphased by the challenge but savouring the chance to play on European football's most prestigious platform – the Dane having helped lead Leicester to the 2016/17 quarter finals, when a questionable Atletico Madrid penalty sealed their fate and sent them home 2-1 on aggregate.

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers has spoken openly about helping his side make in-roads in European football since returning to the Parkhead dugout last summer.

Whether or not that's achievable this season remains to be seen, but with chiselled leaders such as Callum McGregor, James Forrest and, indeed, Kasper Schmeichel filling the dressing room, the foundations of an aspirational side are in place.

To that end, Schmeichel added: "I’m here to help. I’m here to help the team win. I’m here to help in whatever way I can. I try to make it very clear to everyone that if they need anything, just let me know. If they want anything, if they want to hear what anything was like, any kind of experience, you’ve just got to ask.

"I’ll lead in the same way that I always have, that’s brought me to be the captain of a Premier League club and captain of my country at the Euros.

"I’m not going to change that. That’s just the way I am, that’s just the person I am. I’m not going to change anything like that."