| Match Pictures | Matches: 2000 – 2001 | 2000-2001 Pictures |
Trivia
- Kevin McKenna arrived for a trial at the club.
- Ex-Celt Brian O’Neil made a surprise move back from German club Wolfsburg to Derby County.
- Lubo Moravcik announced to all that this would be his last season and he intended to retire in June.
- CELTIC soccer mascot Hoopy the Huddle Hound was in the doghouse last night after police confirmed they were investigating allegations of theft from Parkhead. Strathclyde Police were called to Celtic to deal with a 20-year-old man who was Hoopy the HuddleHound. The club refused to comment on theft claims, saying it was an internal matter but the guy was sacked and the previous Hoopy is alleged to have stood in for the Bordeaux game.
- Tosh McKinlay was training with the U21 squad. He had recently retired from a pay-as-you-play deal with Kilmarnock and was hopeful of winning another deal in Scotland. Elsewhere Paul McStay and Billy Stark’s names were said to be in the frame for the recently available manager’s job at Dumbarton.
- At the pre-match press conference Martin O’Neill said that he was still looking to bring Neil Lennon to Celtic. O’Neill had tried twice to bring him north but in September Lennon had accepted a new 5 year contract with Leicester. O’Neill also stumbled into a club-versus-country controversy by branding the Scotland fixture list absurd. Scotland were due to play Australia in a Friendly on the Wednesday following the St Johnstone game.
- This was Rab Douglas’ debut game. Gould and Boyd dropped to the bench with Stubbs replacing Boyd. McNamara was out injured after the Bordeaux game. Thompson was restored after being ineligible for the Brodeaux game.
- The referee is Kevin Toner, son of ex-Celt & Kilmarnock great Willie Toner.
Review
An easy win with Larsson back to form and Moravcik scoring a wonder goal. The game also featured Momo Sylla and Gary Bollan squaring up to each other.
Teams
Celtic:
Douglas, Valgaeren, Stubbs, Mjallby, Agathe, Petrov (Healy 64), Moravcik, Thompson, Petta, Larsson (Berkovic 75), Sutton (Johnson 75).
Subs Not Used: Gould, Boyd.
Goals: Sutton 12, Larsson 34, Moravcik 37, Larsson 59.
St Johnstone:
Main, Sylla, Dods, McCluskey, Kernaghan (McCulloch 76), Bollan, Dasovic, Kane, Evers (McBride 53), Connolly (Russell 69), Parker.
Subs Not Used: Cuthbert, Hartley.
Goals: Russell 82.
Booked: Celtic:none St Johnstone: Parker.
Attendance: 57,137
Referee: Kevin Toner (Scotland).
Articles
- Match Report(see below)
- Manager Interview (see below)
Pictures
Stats
| Celtic | St Johnstone | |
| Bookings | 0 | 1 |
| Red Cards | 0 | 0 |
| Fouls | 9 | 11 |
| Shots on Target | 11 | 4 |
| Corners | 8 | 3 |
| Offside | 4 | 3 |
Quotes
"I was very pleased with the players' reaction after Thursday night.
"I was pleased for Larsson, pleased for Sutton and for Moravcik. I think Alan Thompson might have run Lubo close for man of the match.
"It's the same with any centre-forward. If you miss a couple of chances, the next time you might be slightly hesitant. So when his first goal went in, it gave him the confidence to chip the keeper for the second.
"Lubo tries everything in training. That's why we have to have such high netting."
"Managers have to make these tough decisions sometimes. Jonathan Gould has done very well for us and he still has a major role to play for us. I haven't picked my team for next week's game against Hearts yet."
(MoN)
Divine Moravcik hoodwinks Saints
The Scotsman 13/11/2000
Tom Lappin at Parkhead
Celtic 4 Sutton (12), Larsson (34, 59), Moravcik (37)
St Johnstone 1 Russell (82)
Referee: K Toner. Attendance: 57,137
EUROPEAN fare is off the menu for Celtic, but they settled happily enough for a starchy domestic diet yesterday, extending their lead in the SPL to five points. It was achieved in a thoroughly professional manner against an outclassed St Johnstone, the routine nature of Celtic's victory enlivened only by a magnificently audacious goal from Lubomir Moravcik, and the reassuring sight of Henrik Larsson rediscovering his knack for efficient finishing.
Three of Celtic's goals were impressive affairs, rewards for determination, smart movement, and rather more ruthless finishing than they had shown in midweek. Moravcik's was simply an individual masterpiece.
Celtic made it look easy, in marked contrast to a year ago, where they blundered into every potential pitfall. Martin O'Neill had described this as a "massive match" beforehand, and certainly there were reasons for Celtic to be a little apprehensive.
Theoretically, it would have been difficult to contrive a better opportunity for Sandy Clark's team to spring a surprise.
The combination of energy-sapping extra-time and a demoralising conclusion to Thursday's UEFA cup tie should have left Celtic vulnerable.
The absence of Paul Lambert had also been compounded by the loss of Jackie McNamara, and Tom Boyd having to rest his aged limbs on the bench.
In the circumstances a spot of boldness from St Johnstone was to be expected, and given any slackness in the Celtic approach might have had its reward. At the start it was apparent that the Perth team was prepared to forsake its familiar supine approach to games in Glasgow. Sadly, the consequences – three goals conceded in the first half – will discourage them from trying that again.
At least St Johnstone could console themselves with the thought that they had the first chance of the game.
After six minutes Sean Evers evaded a tackle from Didier Agathe and delivered a low cross. Nick Dasovic's shot from the edge of the area was saved by Robert Douglas.
Douglas was given a start, presumably in order to ensure that there was one Scots accent in the Celtic team.
St Johnstone looked sprightly, but Celtic looked far more likely to score. Larsson should have given them the lead in the tenth minute, heading wide after Bobby Petta's corner had been delivered perfectly to him, eight yards from goal.
That miss only delayed the scoring for two minutes. Alan Thompson did all the preparation for the opener, sidestepping some lacklustre challenges on the edge of the St Johnstone box. As soon as he entered the area, Chris Sutton claimed it as his area of responsibility and whipped the ball off Thompson's toes, putting it high to Alan Main's left and into the back of the net.
St Johnstone offered sporadic threats of their own with shots from Mohammed Sylla, and Paul Kane, but opportunities were curtailed simply because Keigan Parker and Paddy Connolly were out-muscled by Johan Mjallby, Joos Valgaeren and Alan Stubbs.
Celtic, though, were getting into their stride, Agathe and Petta probing down the wings, and Thompson mopping up the midfield. It was no surprise to see Celtic extend their lead ten minutes before half-time. Henrik Larsson offered his first riposte to those who have wondered whether his finishing touch had gone. Running onto a Moravcik pass, he looked up once, and directed a low shot between the legs of Darren Dods and inside the far post.
The third goal, four minutes later, was a piece of sublime opportunism that will have secured November's goal of the month competition. When Agathe played a short corner to Moravcik, he expected the Slovak to deliver another precise cross. Moravcik, a couple of yards inside the corner-flag, had other ideas.
Sighting a small patch of net inside the far post, Moravcik delivered the shot with ruthless accuracy. "Fluke" they might have muttered in Perthshire, but there was little element of chance involved. Celtic Park bowed down in homage.
That third goal signalled a torturous second-half for St Johnstone. Alan Main has had plenty of heroic afternoons at this ground, and is used to the obligation of keeping the score respectable. He made a fine instinctive save from Sutton's downward header early in the second half, after Petta had been allowed to deliver another dangerous cross. Main also cheered up the away fans with a delightful Cruyff turn in his own six-yard box, faced by an onrushing Sutton. Cool, but of only minor consolation.
Celtic's fourth came on the hour, Larsson latching on to a Thompson pass behind a ragged St Johnstone back line. His finish was even more decisive than his first goal, a deft chip over the advancing Main and inside the far post.
The Swede's confidence was overflowing. Demanding a return pass from Agathe, he struck a left-foot shot from 20 yards just wide. Larsson seemed in the mood to seek another SPL hat-trick, but his manger was happy to be a spoilsport. O'Neill didn't want Larsson to over-exert himself, and replaced him, for the last 15 minutes, with Eyal Berkovic. Sutton made way for Tommy Johnson at the same time, as Celtic settled for what they had.
Eight minutes from the end, St Johnstone earned themselves a well-deserved consolation, Sylla's enterprise down the right producing a low cross that substitute Craig Russell turned into the net. It was probably enough to cause a slight wrinkle in O'Neill's forehead, but you can't always have perfection.
Celtic 4 St Johnstone 1 By Ian Rodgers, PA Sport
Celtic midfielder Lubo Moravcik single-handedly banished the UEFA Cup defeat from the memory of Celtic minds with a brilliant display in the comfortable 4-1 win over St Johnstone.
The Slovakian created two goals and scored a third in the first half to set the Hoops on course for a 15th consecutive Premier League game without defeat.
Striker Chris Sutton was the first to benefit in the 12th minute before Henrik Larsson enjoyed the first of two goals when Moravcik crafted an opening.
The Slovakian then clearly exorcised the extra-time exertions against Bordeaux with a delightfully floated third just before the break.
Larsson struck on the hour to make it 4-0 but a late goal from St Johnstone substitute Craig Russell ruined Rob Douglas' debut after the goalkeeper had proved his worth to the Parkhead crowd with some good stops.
Douglas was called into action in the seventh minute when he pushed away a Nick Dasovic drive from the edge of the area after Sean Evers had seen the midfielder in space on the edge of the area.
But it was a subdued opening 10 minutes as neither side truly gripped the game.
However the Parkhead crowd were finally brought to their feet in the 12th minute thanks to Moravcik.
His perfect ball to the right where Didier Agathe was in space was simply brilliant.
The former Hibs man cut inside before laying the ball off to Alan Thompson, who tried a one-two with Sutton.
Thompson lost control but, at the top of the league, the breaks tend to go your way and Saints did not clear properly.
Sutton took just one glance at the ball and struck it beyond Main's despairing dive.
Stubbs did well to clear a Mohammed Sylla cross for a corner after a powerful run by the Saints' man with Keigan Parker ready to threaten.
From the resultant corner, Paul Kane found Sylla 20 yards out and Douglas did well to get down to his right and save.
But Moravcik was proving – yet again – his mastery of midfield and in the 35th minute, he sent Larsson clear on the edge of the box.
The Swedish international looked up just once before curling the ball around Main.
Four minutes later, Moravcik devastated Saints with a breath-taking piece of striking.
Agathe played a corner short to the Slovakian and Moravcik floated the ball over Main from the acutest of angles.
Larsson almost collected another Moravcik cross in the final minute of the half but Darren Dods read the situation well and cleared.
Five minutes after the break and magician Moravcik was still conjuring chances – this time by setting Petta clear down the left.
The former Ipswich man swung a terrific ball for Sutton at the far post but somehow Main forced the ball around his post.
It was only a matter of time before Celtic added a fourth and on the hour, Larsson did just that.
Thompson played the Swede through on goal and a delicate chip with the outside of his right foot left Main stranded.
At the other end, Parker went close with a first time shot on the turn from a Paddy Connolly through ball but Douglas stretched to turn the ball over.
Moravcik almost claimed a fifth for the home side when a Sutton dummy delivered Thompson's ball to him on the left-hand side of the box.
The midfielder took the ball around Sylla but his chip dropped wide of Main's goal.
Douglas was clearly enjoying his afternoon but Sylla and substitute Russell combined to dispel thoughts of a clean sheet.
Sylla got past Joos Valgaeren on the by-line before laying the ball off to Russell, who stroked the ball past the former Dundee man.
Teams
Celtic: Douglas, Valgaeren, Stubbs, Mjallby, Agathe, Petrov (Healy 64), Moravcik, Thompson, Petta, Larsson (Berkovic 75), Sutton (Johnson 75).
Subs Not Used: Gould, Boyd.
Goals: Sutton 12, Larsson 34, Moravcik 37, Larsson 59.
St Johnstone: Main, Sylla, Dods, McCluskey, Kernaghan (McCulloch 76), Bollan, Dasovic, Kane, Evers (McBride 53), Connolly (Russell 69), Parker.
Subs Not Used: Cuthbert, Hartley.
Booked: Parker.
Goals: Russell 82.
Att: 57,137
Ref: K Toner (Scotland).