Celtic secured a 1-0 home win over Kilmarnock on Sunday, with defender Liam Scales scoring the decisive goal and earning high praise from manager Martin O'Neill.
The Republic of Ireland centre-half volleyed in a finish that O'Neill likened to something the "wee Argentina attacker" would have been proud of, proving enough to see off a stubborn Kilmarnock side at Parkhead.
O'Neill's praise for Scales
O'Neill was full of admiration for Scales, who has been a regular match-winner for the side. "Scales has been great for me, honestly, really great," O'Neill said. "Sometimes Scalesy plays a pass as if he was Messi, and that doesn't happen. But he's been fantastic."
The manager added: "I'm sure he's been a fine player before I came here, but in my year here, he's been absolutely exceptional. I couldn't speak more highly of him. I think he's great for us defensively."
"He's a centre-half, but sometimes I'm expecting him to play the ball like an inside forward or something like that, but overall he's been really terrific. He's come up with some big, big goals, but he's also come up with big, big moments defensively for us during my time," O'Neill continued.
Hard-fought victory
The match proved a slog for Celtic, who were wasteful in front of goal and had two efforts ruled out. Kasper Hogh thought he had scored, only for VAR to disallow it after a slight foul by Mika Baur in the build-up. The little German then had another goal chalked off by the assistant's flag.
O'Neill acknowledged the team were not at their best. "I thought that we were not at our very, very best today although, actually having said that, we created a number of good chances in the game and Sam Johnstone made a double save for us in the first 90 seconds of the game," he said.
Looking ahead
The win builds on Thursday's European success against Besiktas and eases recent crisis talk heading into the international break. O'Neill reflected on the recent defeats to Dundee United and Rangers, saying he would have taken the current position if offered it after the Rangers loss.
"I think that if you'd said to me at the break after Rangers had beaten us, you be in this position, still fighting on the European front – where we've given ourselves a chance anyway, if nothing else – and still leading in the league? I would have taken that," he said.
O'Neill plans to use the break to study recent matches in more detail. He also expressed concern for international players, saying: "I was an international manager, and I'm always worried in case your major players end up injured, and you hope they don't."
