With Derby Day coming up, the Hoops maintained their lead at the top of the league with a 3-0 victory on Tayside.
DUNDEE 0 CELTIC 3 – PREMIERSHIP ACTION’S BEST
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On Boxing Day in Dundee, goals from Paulo Bernardo, his first Celtic goal, and Mikey Johnston, his first Hoops strike in over four years, sealed the victory.
However, after the big defender hobbled off at Dens after an hour, the Parkhead men were also left sweating like Cameron Carter and Vickers from the Old Firm. In the end, Brendan Rodgers’ team won handily, but occasionally they looked like they were going to make an easy meal of it. The Hoops had a lot of changes on a plate and carved open Dundee all day, but they lacked the innovation to turn it into a joyful stroll. At least in the beginning.
Early in the second half, Bernardo made his move, but it took substitute Johnston’s double in the final seven minutes to seal the three points. The winger, who hadn’t scored since December 2019, was overjoyed, and the Hoops were relieved to have scored after so much effort in front of goal. In a lopsided Boxing Day thrashing, the Celts registered over 30 shots on goal and set a season high with 23 corner kicks.
However, with the Rangers visiting Parkhead in four days, Carter-Vickers’ injury was a serious setback. After outplaying Dundee, the champions now lead the Scottish Premiership table by five points. Rangers will take on Ross County on Wednesday.
In the first half, the hosts presented a small risk on the counter, but traffic was essentially one-way. Liam Scales was not far behind, making a looping-headed attempt, and Alistair Johnston hit Trevor Carson squarely.
However, Kyogo raced through on to Matt O’Riley’s excellent ball over the top, and Celtic really should have taken the lead. However, the hitman attempted to clip it past the keeper too soon, sending it wide. Moments later, O’Riley narrowly missed the post from the edge of the box, Bernardo headed a header wide, and Callum McGregor had a couple of shots blocked. Dundee managed to survive until halftime, despite several penalty appeals for a Kygo trip and Carson’s wrestling match with Cameron Carter-Vickers.
Early in the second half, the pinball game in the Dundee penalty box hinted at more of the same. After 51 minutes, Palma’s maneuver to weaken Dens’ defense allowed Bernardo to narrowly avoid Carson’s legs and give the visitors the lead.
Moments later, Carter-Vickers pulled up, cutting short the festivities. The big defender looked down and was sad as he hobbled off. The opportunities to extend the lead came and went after Rodgers whipped off Kyogo and Daizen Maeda to wrap the crucial pair in cotton wool.
And it took Johnston’s cut inside and goal toward goal with seven minutes remaining to seal the victory, leaving Carson perplexed with his low curling attempt. And when the ball broke into his path in the penalty box, the same man pounced once more, drilling into the bottom corner.
A donation made to Bernardo
The midfielder from Benfica on loan has warmed up more slowly than the guy who makes his toast in the toaster. But might Celtic finally be witnessing Paulo Bernardo at his peak? For the first time since his summer transfer, the playmaker made back-to-back league starts and scored the game-winning goal.
In Europe, the Portugal under-21 player has been a go-to man; in Scotland, though, not so much. However, he has indicated in the past few games that he has some personality.
You would think that after a protracted injury, he’s holding down the role for Reo Hatate. Though it will take the Japanese star some time to settle in, the Celts could use Bernardo to live up to the high expectations placed on him upon signing.
Derby Day Issue
Although Bernardo has probably earned his spot for the Rangers match, Celtic should be more concerned. For Hoops supporters, Cameron Carter-Vickers’ limping departure from the Dens after less than an hour was the stuff of nightmares.
The star back has had a difficult season because he had knee surgery at the end of the previous campaign, which prevented him from playing in the big kickoff, and he also developed a couple of serious hamstring issues. In the derby match, Brendan Rodgers will be desperate to have his main players available, and if Carter-Vickers is unable to play, there will be a serious problem in the back.
After coming off the bench on Tayside, young player Stephen Welsh appears to be at the top of the list to partner Liam Scales, who is playing brilliantly. A CCV absence will only make people wonder what’s going on with Celtic Park’s big money center backs, Mail Nawrocki and Gustaf Lagerbielke.
John Nelmes, the head coach of Dundee, has big plans for the Dark Blues, saying they will soon have a luxurious new stadium and hope to establish themselves as a top six team. Many people will argue that the American is overindulging in celebration, but he has good reason to have lofty expectations.
As one of Scotland’s established major teams, Dundee is entitled to set lofty goals. However, certain things are more likely than not. The goal of being in the ground by 2025 seems improbable given the lack of planning permission and the scant information available regarding the cost.
However, the top six? They seem like a terrific bet to make it this season. Tony Docherty has become a highly successful manager in his own right, building a team with excellent structure and hiring quality players. For a while, they made things difficult for the Celtics, and for everyone else in this league, much more difficult.You shouldn’t count on them to squeak into the top half this semester.
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