MIKEY FITS THE BILL
Teen Johnston could save Celtic a January expense after his latest goals sink lowly Dundee
BRENDAN RODGERS wouldn’t thank anyone for the suggestion but perhaps his need to sign two strikers in January is not as acute as he first feared.
With Leigh Griffiths out indefinitely, the sight of Odsonne Edouard limping off in the midweek win over Motherwell drew worried murmurs ahead of a packed festive week of fixtures.
Teenager Mikey Johnston replaced the Frenchman but, even as he rattled home his first goal for the club, few really thought this young winger might provide the solution, short-term or otherwise.
Rodgers decided to give it a try anyway. Johnston started up top against Dundee and responded in style, leading the line with verve and contributing an impressive double that showcased two very different pieces of finishing.
The 19-year-old is unlikely to start as Celtic look to defend their position at the top of the Premiership in tough away fixtures to Aberdeen and Rangers, but it’s handy for Rodgers to know he has a player with a sure finishing touch at hand.
This was a most routine victory against a Dundee team rooted to the bottom of the table and quite possibly keeping much in reserve for their own potentially defining post-Christmas matches against Livingston and St Johnstone.
To be fair to Jim McIntyre, the day’s selection issues were not exclusive to Rodgers. The absence of Josh Meekings, Genseric Kusunga and Darren O’Dea meant the visiting boss had to mix and match at the back.
Andy Boyle and Ryan Inniss were given the job of policing Johnston, but the trouble with trying to contain Celtic is that the angle of attack is constantly changing.
Tom Rogic provided an obvious threat in behind but it was Scott Sinclair who emerged as the main man early on.
Cammy Kerr is one of the country’s most diligent one-on-one defenders, but the full-back had his hands full trying to suppress the Englishman, who was direct and full of intent.
Nathan Ralph deserves credit for taking the full force of one Sinclair shot to head off the line but the winger continued to mix his game up, threatening Jack Hamilton’s goal on a couple of occasions before carving out gilt-edged chances for his team-mates.
If Johnston deserved better than to see an improvised guided volley bounce back off the bar, James Forrest and Olivier Ntcham were guilty of wastefulness when picked out by Sinclair.
Dundee were showing precious little ambition to go forward but there was one near thing as Martin Woods sent a 20-yard drive skidding through the rain and just wide of Scott Bain’s left-hand post.
The breakthrough came close to the interval and it was Callum McGregor, captaining the club on his 42nd appearance of the season, who provided the assist with a low, drilled pass into the feet of Johnston.
As the teenager received the ball and jinked back on to his right foot, the defence collectively raised its arm in appeal for offside. This futile moment of hesitation allowed Johnston a little extra time to pick his spot and find it with a low finish.
‘Our video boy confirmed it was onside at half-time,’ said McIntyre. ‘That’s disappointing. Just play to the whistle.’
There was certainly no debating the second. Sinclair remained in the same
devastating mood after the break and worked a one-two with Rogic to carry him to the byline. From there the left-foot delivery was pin-point and Johnston threw himself into the header with glee, forcing the ball over the line via the underside of the bar.
‘Mikey was very good,’ said Rodgers. ‘Coming through he’s played all across the front line and he has an instinct to score — he runs towards the goal.
‘His first goal came from a really good pass from Callum, but it was a brilliant piece of skill to chop it inside and finish the way he did against a keeper who had made really good saves.
‘And the second one was the big surprise, getting on the end of a cross with a header. He would be disappointed he didn’t get a hat-trick. But his play was exceptional, his touch, his movement, on the back of playing during the week.’
Ryan Christie had not featured since being stretchered off in the Europa League defeat to Salzburg but made a welcome return from the bench in time to help his team extend the lead.
Match-winner in the Betfred Cup final earlier this month, Christie had emerged as a game-changing force before his injury and almost immediately he threatened, slaloming in off the right flank and battering a shot on target. There was no personal glory this time but, as Hamilton beat the ball away, Filip Benkovic was there to tuck away the rebound.
Johnston was withdrawn to give Jonny Hayes a late run-out and he was nearly joined on the scoresheet by Anthony Ralston, another youngster who heralded his return to the first-team picture with a goal against Motherwell. Overlapping Christie on the right, the full-back angled a shot beyond Hamilton only to see it bounce back into play off the post.
‘Tony is back to where I want him to be,’ added Rodgers of the 20-year-old full-back. ‘He wasn’t at that level for a while because of his injury, but he’s worked hard.
‘He defended strongly and you can see the subtlety in his game now, the way he’s serving the ball.
‘It’s great to see that growth with young players. That’s why with injuries I’m never too down because it always opens the door for someone else.’
CELTIC (4-2-3-1): Bain; Ralston, Simunovic (Ajer 55), Benkovic, Izaguirre; Ntcham, McGregor; Forrest (Christie 63), Rogic, Johnston (Hayes 77); Sinclair. Subs (not used): Gordon, Gamboa, Brown, Hayes, Morgan. Booked: None.
DUNDEE (4-4-1-1): Hamilton; Kerr, Boyle, Inniss, Ralph; Curran, Woods, Kamara, Nabi (Lambert 62); McGowan; Kallman (Miller 54). Subs (not used): Parish, Mandy, Spence, Moore, Bradbury. Booked: Woods.
Referee: Euan Anderson.