Motherwell 0 – 3 Celtic

Luke McCowan scored on his first Celtic begin as they returned to the highest of the Premiership with a convincing win towards 10-player Motherwell.

The Hoops knew they needed to get again to profitable methods to reclaim prime spot after Aberdeen, who claimed a degree at Parkhead final weekend, gained on Saturday night.

However it was Motherwell who threatened first with Lennon Miller hitting the woodwork twice within the opening levels earlier than McCowan fired low into the online.

Daizen Maeda’s objective was dominated out for handball with the guests denied a penalty for Stephen O’Donnell’s problem on the winger.

Celtic regarded comfy and Alistair Johnston, captain in Callum McGregor’s absence, headed in from Alex Valle’s ball to double the lead.

Adam Idah got here off the bench to make it 3-0 with Liam Gordon later despatched off for a crunching problem on the striker following a VAR verify.

Brendan Rodgers facet lead the Dons on objective distinction as soon as once more whereas Motherwell are fifth.

Champions cruise to Fir Park victory

Rodgers had seen his group held to a few attracts on six earlier visits to Fir Park and every of the three victories had come courtesy of stoppage-time winners.

The most recent journey might have been comparable if Motherwell had transformed one among their early probabilities however Celtic by no means regarded again following McCowan’s opener and moved again above Aberdeen on objective distinction.

The Celtic boss went into this recreation with out captain Callum McGregor, who missed out with a hip pressure, whereas Nicolas Kuhn and Arne Engels dropped to the bench.

Marvin Kaleta and Tom Sparrow got here into the Motherwell group and the house facet had the higher probabilities within the opening quarter with Miller on the coronary heart of all of the motion.

The 18-year-old hit a submit from 22 yards out with Kasper Schmeichel stranded after Paulo Bernardo had misplaced the ball deep in his half. Moments later the midfielder hit the bar after profitable a free-kick 25 yards out.

Miller additionally twice threatened from back-post headers and arrange Sparrow with a backheel. The previous Stoke participant drove his shot straight into the physique of Schmeichel.

Daizen Maeda had pressured a save from Aston Oxborough and James Forrest had some crosses lower out however Celtic have been usually struggling to take advantage of their superior possession till McCowan collected Alex Valle’s cross and took issues into his personal fingers.

Celtic had the ball within the web once more earlier than half-time however no person celebrated amid sheer confusion across the floor after Maeda bundled dwelling as he fell to the bottom following Johnston’s by means of ball.

Referee David Dickinson had no thought what to present and allowed video assistant Alan Muir to make the decision. There have been suspicions of a push from Stephen O’Donnell on Maeda however the remaining name was a free-kick to Motherwell for handball towards the Japan ahead.

Motherwell left-back Ewan Wilson was off beam from a half likelihood earlier than Johnston ran in the direction of the six-yard line to go dwelling Valle’s cross.

That objective roughly completed the sport as a contest. Motherwell couldn’t discover the ultimate ball to bother Celtic with any of their assaults and the guests continued to look threatening.

Reo Hatate got here shut on a number of events, Oxborough made a triple save, two of which got here from McCowan photographs, and Idah hit the submit earlier than turning dwelling fellow substitute Kuhn’s low cross from six yards within the 88th minute.

Gordon was booked for a lunging sort out on Idah earlier than Dickinson was known as to the monitor and subsequently upgraded the color of the cardboard.

‘A surprising problem’

The Sky Sports activities pundits had their say on Liam Gordon’s problem on Adam Idah:

Kris Boyd:

“It’s a shocking challenge to start with and then he lunges in. I hope he (Idah) is okay.

“That was a surprising problem, a horrible sort out.

“You can the see the bottom of his leg, his ankle rolling. I don’t know why it took so long to get him off the pitch it was a shocking challenge.”

Neil Lennon:

“It’s a lunge, it’s studs up and he’s caught him on the ankle. It’s a red card all day long.”

What’s developing within the Scottish Premiership?