Griffiths back in scoring form as Celtic tighten grip

There is no doubting that Celtic have their mojo back. That was best illustrated by how easy Brendan Rodgers’ men made it look to overwhelm the home side at Dens Park yesterday.

They knocked off a first league victory on the road in four attempts with the sort of tigerish high pressing that accounted for so few Scottish sides being able to live with them on their record unbeaten run that was brought to a shuddering halt at Tynecastle ten days ago.

The “hunger”, as manager Rodgers called it, meant the champions were nailed on to gobble up a third straight win since that Hearts loss from the moment the outstanding James Forrest bagged his 50th goal for the club after only eight minutes. It was, curiously, the only time in the Premiership this season that Celtic have netted inside the first ten minutes.

Their second goal in the 43rd minute merely cemented the hold that Celtic had throughout the opening period. Ultimately, it proved a talking point more for the identity of the scorer, and his reaction to finding the net, than any altering of the outcome. A clinical finish by Leigh Griffiths was followed by the forward pointing at himself and shouting to the visiting supporters “I’m the f***ing man!”

The Scotland striker said his emotional outburst was a product of “frustration” at “not playing and not scoring as much” as he would “like”. It was the 27-year-old’s first goal from open play in two

0 Leigh Griffiths scores Celtic’s second goal to clinch their 2-0 victory over Dundee at Dens Park yesterday.

0 James Forrest: 50th goal. months – he curled in a freekick against Ross County four weeks ago – but, notably, also Celtic’s first goal by a central striker in six matches.

In rather barbed fashion, Rodgers joked it was important for Griffiths – whose strike was his 95th for the Scottish champions – to believe he was the man even if “he wasn’t”. Frankly, it is unlikely he will be when the derby at home to Rangers kicks off on Saturday. Moussa Dembele tends to play the big games, though the notion that Griffiths has enjoyed little game time compared to the 21-year-old Frenchman of late is bogus.

Both Griffiths and Dembele have found themselves vying for game time with Paris Saintgermain on-loan forward Odsonne Edouard, who has been used more than the pair in December.

Griffiths, with his link-up play and his lethal finish, allowed Celtic to appear more fluent than has been true of the past couple of months. A time when they struggled for clean sheets.

Not now, with the victory over a Dundee side that their manager Neil Mccann admitted lacked “belief” their third straight clean sheet. Not since September have they repelled domestic opponents for such a period.

Dundee, through late headers by Sofien Moussa and substitute Darren O’dea, could have breached their visitors’ backline.

But by then it was as if Celtic had found it tedious to be so dominant and lost a little interest in grinding the Dens Park side down.

Celtic’s rhythm was clearly upset by the loss of Jonny Hayes, with what looked like a serious injury. A clattering challenge with Josh Meekings that produced an audible crack that rang round Dens Park resulted in the encounter being held up for seven minutes. After Meekings hobbled off it took that long for the luckless Hayes, after at last having begun to make an impression with the champions after his move from Aberdeen in the summer, to be strapped into a stretcher.

His Celtic wing counterpart Forrest proved the man that Dundee simply could not shackle. In what is proving the finest season of his career, his 12th goal across the campaign – a personal best – arrived only seconds after Griffiths had thudded an effort off the base of the post. The construction was impressive, the striker releasing Tierney down the left for the full-back to hit the byeline and cut back for Forrest to squeeze in at the near post.

With Olivier Ntcham and Scott Brown conducting operations in the centre of the park, the surprise was that Celtic could not convert any more opportunities ahead of Griffiths getting back to what he does best. The forward’s control was immaculate as, without breaking stride, he received a through ball from Ntcham and drilled an effort across the face of Elliot Parish’s goal. In that moment, a third defeat in five games for Mccann’s men was signed, sealed and delivered.

The message that Griffiths a second later then chose to deliver to his manager was one that hardly endeared him to a clearly-irked Rodgers.