Brendan Rodgers hailed Celtic’s five-star show against St Mirren as one of his favourite moments of the season as his side took another giant step closer to the title.
Rodgers’ triple substitution midway through the second half provided the spark for Celtic to score three late goals in Paisley to crush Saints’ resistance and move the champions 16 points clear at the top.
Celtic are now just three wins away from another championship and Rodgers declared himself a happy man at watching his team grind another tough opponent into submission.
Rodgers said: ‘This is one of my favourite results of the season. We are coming to a team you can see are difficult to play against, the surface is very difficult and it’s on the back of a third game of the week.
‘We were so good in our attacking play. We needed the freshness and the energy of the players coming into the game. They made the football smile for us. To come here and get five goals, I was so, so pleased.
‘I’ve always wanted to sprint over the line in any of the competitions that we’ve been in. So we sit in a great position, 16 points clear with the goal difference, you can say, as an extra point. We’re in a really, really good place, and the players are so deserving of it. But we still have a lot of work to do.’
Rodgers was left beaming after watching his side take a giant step closer to the league title
Hyun-jun Yang celebrates putting Celtic back in front after his introduction changed the game
Yang puts some gloss on the scoreline with Celtic’s fifth goal deep into stoppage time
Hyun-jun Yang was one of those whose arrival turned the game on its head, with the Korean scoring twice, delivering an assist for Daizen Maeda and having another effort chalked off. And Rodgers revealed the winger’s upturn in form was down to him being more settled off the pitch.
He added: ‘It has just been time with Yang. His girlfriend is here at the moment. I said to the guys, let’s see if we can get that visa and keep her here! Everyone knows he’s in a really good mood and has been for a while.
‘He scored his two goals and had the one that was disallowed. But his pass for Daizen’s goal, to see it and then to execute it — wow, what a pass. He’s a young player who is developing and improving.’
Yang was also grateful to have his partner visiting as he enjoys a purple patch in form. He said: ‘It’s nice she is here. She wasn’t at the game as it’s too far and she can’t drive. She was watching on television.
Yang’s improved form has been put down to the fact his girlfriend has joined him in Scotland
‘I think this was my best performance for Celtic so far.’
St Mirren manager Stephen Robinson felt the decision not to award his team a penalty when Alistair Johnston upended Roland Idowu could have been a turning point at 3-2 to Celtic.
He said: ‘It’s not a good claim. It’s a penalty. I don’t blame the ref as it happens quickly. The ball has gone in a completely different direction from where Alistair has tried to make his challenge.’
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