Maintaining Momentum is Key Tonight
After a near-run thing away to St Mirren, Celtic hit the road again — this time to Perth — to face newly promoted St Johnstone. Five wins from five is exactly the start we needed, and the hope now is that Celtic grow stronger as key players return to fitness and the new signings settle into their roles. The win in Paisley wasn’t comfortable, and some dubious officiating certainly didn’t help, but grinding out results is often the mark of a team built for the long haul. St Mirren made life difficult, yet Celtic still found a way over the line — something that will matter as the season tightens.
The next stretch of fixtures is tricky. Our Europa League opener against Ferencváros sits between two meetings with our city rivals, and those three games could shape the early narrative of the season. Depending on how they fall, we’ll learn a lot about how equipped this squad is to chase success on all fronts — including a meaningful European run.
But first, we deal with what’s in front of us: St Johnstone. To their credit, they’ve made a solid return to the Premiership, sitting seventh with seven points from five games. Wins over Kilmarnock and Hibs show they’re no pushovers, and striker Josh Fowler — the league’s top scorer — is in lethal form. Celtic cannot take this lightly.
Yang’s absence due to Asia Cup duty isn’t ideal, but it opens the door for fringe players to step up. Camilo Durán is expected to lead the line again, with Hassan or Tounekti supporting from wide areas. Høgh and Tierney have returned to training, but with two derbies looming, O’Neill will manage their minutes carefully. We have enough quality to get the job done — but only if the replacements match Yang’s work rate and intensity.
Three points aren’t “nailed on,” but Celtic have the firepower, form, and momentum to ensure there’s no doubt about the outcome. What we don’t need is another night of hanging on due to a lack of fight — or, dare I say it, more questionable decisions from the officials. After last weekend’s VAR circus, everyone will be hoping for a quieter evening on that front.
