Brendan Rodgers was full of praise for Kyogo Furuhashi after the striker netted the opener and provided an assist for Nicolas Kuhn against St Johnstone this afternoon.
Having failed to start in Celtic’s last three games, Kyogo had begun to fall out of the side and looked to be second choice to Adam Idah.
But with a goal last weekend against Livingston and this afternoon at Celtic Park, he has looked back to his best.
Rodgers said: [The Celtic Way], “Adam (Idah) has been very good when he came in and that is what Kyogo and every player needs, they need competition.
“But I thought he was bright, his movement was good. Sharp.
“He was very brave at the first goal. He makes a run and comes back onside and obviously some strikers would maybe move their head out of the way with the keeper coming through but he didn’t and he scored the goal.
“And it was a great cross for the second one. He was excellent.”
Rodgers’ comments clearly echo his admiration for Kyogo, despite doubts about how the Japanese striker has fitted into Rodgers’ system this season.
Kyogo hasn’t scored as freely as in the previous two seasons under Ange Postecglou, but he now looks to be becoming more comfortable, at times dropping deep and drifting wide.
If Celtic are to retain the Scottish Premiership, Kyogo’s goal will prove vital.
If he continues his form over the last week for the remaining months, we are more than aware of how much of a big-game player he is, with two league games against Rangers over the next couple of months.
