Celtic return to summit with hard-fought win at Kilmarnock

Celtic returned to the top of the Scottish Premiership with a hard-fought 2-0 win against Kilmarnock at Rugby Park.

After reaching the League Cup final and their impressive Champions League victory over RB Leipzig, the Hoops knew they had to end the week on a high after Aberdeen’s win over Dundee took them to the summit on Saturday.

Killie, who have already stunned Rangers this season, were determined and Marley Watkins came agonisingly close to scoring the opener with his shot crashing off the foot of the post.

But, with half-time approaching, Callum McGregor put Celtic in front, his curling cross from outside the box finding its way past Robby McCrorie.

Derek McInnes’ side continued to threaten, with Kasper Schmeichel showing his class to deny Matty Kennedy and Brad Lyons before Nicolas Kuhn wrapped up the win when he smashed a shot into the corner to make it four goals in his last three games.

Celtic are ahead of Aberdeen on goal difference, with both teams on 31 points going into the international break, while Kilmarnock remain eighth.

Hoops see off spirited Kilmarnock to return top

Celtic lost twice at Rugby Park last season before clinching the title at the same venue with a 5-0 win.

There was a clear indication of how difficult Brendan Rodgers viewed the challenge when he named a team that had only two changes from the side that beat RB Leipzig on Tuesday.

Adam Idah started up front and Liam Scales replaced pre-match fitness concern Cameron Carter-Vickers.

McInnes was forced into two changes as Stuart Findlay and Danny Armstrong dropped out. Liam Donnelly and Joe Wright came in.

Celtic’s wingers made some positive runs in the opening stages but it soon became clear that the visitors would face a tough test and Schmeichel made the first of many saves when he pushed away Corrie Ndaba’s long-range drive.

There were plenty of opportunities at both ends. David Watson and Watkins were off target for the hosts and Kyle Vassell was twice denied.

The hosts came closest when Kennedy’s one-touch through ball set up Watkins, who looked like he had done everything right as he dinked the ball over Schmeichel, only to see it rebound off the post.

Idah could not get hold of shots from two decent chances and McCrorie made an excellent fingertip save from McGregor’s long-range strike.

The breakthrough came when the Celtic captain tried to find Idah with a teasing lofted ball four minutes into stoppage-time. The ball was just out of reach of the striker’s outstretched boot but nestled in the far corner of the net.

Innes Cameron replaced Vassell and was quickly involved as Schmeichel saved from the substitute and Lyons before Ndaba headed wide, all in the opening four minutes of the second half.

Killie kept the pressure on but Kuhn was proving a threat on the break and was denied by Wright’s last-ditch challenge and a brilliant stop from McCrorie.

Schmeichel was soon back in action to thwart Cameron and then Kennedy with a brilliant one-handed stop after the winger had waltzed into the box.

The clincher came following a lofted ball down the wing by Alistair Johnston. Kuhn’s pace took him away from two opponents and, with two against two in the middle, the wide player had the chance to head towards goal, placing the ball just inside the far post.

Rodgers: We showed a different side

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers on Sky Sports:

“The players have shown this week they can deal with all types of games so today was an absolutely brilliant win and showed a different side to us.

“Last year we came here and lost a game like that, but we knew they would be motivated to play against us. That was the case and we had to stand up to that.

“We knew we also had to defend well and need Kasper [Schmeichel] to make some good saves.

“[The first goal] was a moment where we settled the game and it’s a good time to score, just before half time.

“I never felt comfortable just because of the directness of Kilmarnock so it was a great time to score but we needed another one and thankfully we got that.

“We’re on the right track, we’ve shown all the various qualities you need to win games in different types of games at the very highest level.

“We came off a performance in midweek which is as good as I’ve had in both my times here and then you’ve got to come here, dig deep and show those fighting qualities.”

On the disrupted silence at Rugby Park on Remembrance Sunday, Rodgers added:

“If it’s a minute’s silence, it’s a minute’s silence. There’s a little bit of issue around that each year for us, but if it’s a minute you do that.”

McInnes: We didn’t take our chances

Kilmarnock boss Derek McInnes on Sky Sports:

“We don’t take our chances that were presented to us.

“The game played out the way I was kind of hoping. It wasn’t just about work rate, it was looking after the next pass and causing Celtic problems.

“The goal was the sucker punch right before half-time and it came out of nothing. That is their quality.

“Full of pride in terms of the effort and how we tried to execute what we wanted to do.”

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