SILENCE IS GOLDEN FOR ARMSTRONG:

Scott Brown called them ‘Zig and Zag’ and for so long their careers were intertwined. Yet when Armstrong faces old friend Mackay-Steven on the pitch, the only thing he’ll give him is the...

THEIR arrival at Celtic Park on the same day almost three years ago was the equivalent of an open goal for the dressing-room wits. In the end, Scott Brown’s choice of nickname stuck. From that day forward, Stuart Armstrong and Gary Mackay-Steven had to live with the sobriquets of Zig and Zag.

Seemingly joined at the hip, it all started so well for the former Dundee United pair. Both scored on their debuts against Partick Thistle but would experience contrasting fortunes as their respective Celtic adventures rolled out.

Despite being played wide-left by Ronny Deila, Armstrong always looked far more comfortable under Glasgow’s bright lights. Only sporadically did his good friend truly look at home there.

Very much a peripheral player in Brendan Rodgers’ first season, Mackay-Steven’s transfer to Aberdeen was seen to benefit all parties.

Whatever the circumstances behind his failure to make a telling impact at Celtic, though, no one who had seen him in full flight at Tannadice would ever question his ability.

A much-publicised night on the tiles well behind him, the 27-year-old reminded the paying public of his prowess with a sumptuous hat-trick against Hibernian last week.

Ahead of a reunion with his friend at Celtic Park tomorrow, Armstrong feels there’s no need to remind his team-mates of the match-winning potential they face in the shape of the winger from Thurso.

‘I saw him the other day and he wouldn’t stop talking about his hat-trick,’ he smiled. ‘As long as he doesn’t do that again on Saturday, we will be fine.

‘I think you will have seen in the past what a threatening player he can be. On that day he scored three. He is a very good player and a good friend of mine. He is one to look out for and try to account for.

‘He is a quality player. I played with him for five years or so and saw his qualities day in, day out in training. Sometimes things just don’t work out in certain places but he is definitely showing his quality again at Aberdeen.’

These occasions when close friends meet in direct opposition can be curious affairs. The aforementioned Brown had no problem in putting his bond with Kevin Thomson to one side for 90 minutes while Celtic and Rangers fought for the bragging rights.

Armstrong will take the same blinkered approach when eye-balling his opponent tomorrow. The clue probably lies on the job description of professional footballer.

‘It was funny, I just saw (former United team-mate) Blair Spittal downstairs and he was making jokes about me, saying I ignored him for 90 minutes,’ he added, in the wake of Celtic’s 2-0 victory over Partick Thistle.

‘That is just how I am. I don’t like to speak to any friends — I just like to concentrate on the game and after I can speak to them or have a joke with them.

‘I won’t even look at Gary. Everyone’s different. Sometimes people see mates on the pitch and make a few jokes with them but that is just not me. I like to focus on the game. When I first came here, we played Dundee United straightaway and I didn’t say a word to anybody.

‘Of course, he is one of my closest friends so when somebody you know does well you are always happy for them.’

There was no questioning Celtic’s business-like approach to taking maximum points against Thistle on Wednesday.

A sluggish start by Rodgers’ men briefly questioned if fatigue was taking hold as they ticked off their sixth of nine games this month. By the end of the night, we had the answer. Celtic’s energy levels rose the longer the game wore on. Sunday’s heavy defeat to Hearts must be viewed in isolation. ‘It was important we got a good performance after the disappointing one on Sunday,’ said Armstrong. ‘And I thought for most of the game we were very good. We were patient to start with and after the first goal we kept on attacking. ‘We have been in situations before where we have had bad results and done really well in the next game. Wednesday night was just another example of how strong we are as a team and the character we have on the whole.’ Reflecting on the 69-game run which was comprehensively ended in the capital, Armstrong added: ‘It was bound to happen eventually. It wasn’t the way we would have liked. ‘I don’t think we were feeling sorry for ourselves. It was a disappointing performance but it was still an incredible achievement to reach that record. To come back and win again on Wednesday… only 69 to go to get a new one.’

No one did more to get the ball rolling again than the man from Inverness.

His opening goal arrived just as the first seeds of doubt were beginning to grow in the minds of the supporters and it truly was a thing of beauty. He was fully entitled to the animated celebration that followed.

‘I always am,’ he added. ‘For me, scoring goals is the best part about playing football and that is what I enjoy most. To get back on the scoresheet was a really nice moment for me.

‘I’ve scored a couple of nice ones but that meant a lot to me to find the net again. It was a nice strike and when it went in I had a really nice view of it.’

By his own admission, it was long overdue. The scorer of 17 goals last term, Wednesday’s was just his fourth for his club this season.

‘Of course I wanted to pick up where I left off last season,’ he explained.

‘I had a really good return so I really wanted to add to that but sometimes you go through spells where you don’t score so many.

‘I need to keep on believing I can score goals, and keep on taking shots. I added one on Wednesday and hopefully I can add more.’

Only five points ahead of the Dons, Celtic have not yet put clear daylight between themselves and the chasing pack in the way many anticipated.

‘Especially with the winter break coming, Aberdeen will be wanting to get as close as possible,’ warned Armstrong. ‘For us, it is about stretching that gap at the top. That is our aim to get to the winter break with a big gap and then hopefully we can stay up there.

‘Each game is different and of course we had a busy season last season and a short summer break.

‘It has really been a full year of football. We have a big squad but a lot of boys have put a lot into every single match and there’s about nine in December in total. That plays a part. But the energy is there as is the belief.’