2017-02-05: St Johnstone 2-5 Celtic, SP

Match Pictures | Matches: 2016 – 2017 | 2016-17 Pictures

Trivia

• Celtic 27pts ahead in first spot, note second place Aberdeen are closer in pts to Inv Ct at bottom of the league than to Celtic. Sevco drew yesterday 1-1 with Ross County at home. Turmoil continues at Ibrox.
• Celtic carry on long winning streak and undefeated streak domestically.
• Goal of the season? One of the best in Celtic SP history? Celtic score following around 24 pass move, ending with Lustig doing a 'Robona' and Dembele on the end to score a finally placed shot at goal. Excellent.
• Dembele scores a hat-trick coming on a sub.
• Henderson started and grabbed a goal. Boyata scored an own-goal.
• Complaints by some fans (notably the Green Brigade) for police handling of supporters. A repeat story this season.
• Celtic were 2-1 down at half-time staring defeat in the face. Referee wrongly in the opinion of most people awarded Celtic a penalty to level things to 2-2, but Celtic turned the screw and were deserved winners.
• Rodgers at FT in interview states notes about Griffiths and he is still part of plans etc: "Players must be the very best they can be. Diet, nutrition & a full time professional mindset. To be a CL Player you need to do this" "Griffiths is part of my plans the next few years. Lot of Scottish players need to recognise self improvement is what they must do"
• Boyata song in full flow (as is Dembele Song): "We didnt sign Denayer but it doesnt matter, cos we signed Boyata"

Review

(El S of KDS)
Delighted for Tommy Wright [St J manager], bless him

Not one penalty he wanted, but two, plus one from last week. OK Tam we know youre hurting but come on.

Ours wasn't a penalty, but their claim wasn't either and quite frankly I don't see justification in making such an issue over it.

Bitton was held down at their first goal but surprise surprise no comment on that from Tommy or the SKY pundits, and also no comment from Willie Miller on Radio Scotland who was nearly greeting, until he remembered we had scored some fantastic goals.

The fifth goal was a thing of beauty and had Barcelona scored it then Tanner et al would have been creaming their pants.

Great 3 points after a dodgy 1st half, against as dirty a shower as youre ever likely to see.

(Sheshoon of KDS)
What I don't get about Griffiths is – he's demonstrated the talent and he's young enough to become an all time Celtic great.

With the way Dembele's continuing to play, it will simply be down to him whether he's here next season cause with that performance again today, I expect a bidding war for him in the summer, with offers Celtic won't refuse. It'll come down to does Dembele want to remain and develop for another season under Brendan Rodgers.

Griffiths needs to get his finger out and meet Brendan's demands as a top class pro on and off the field. Having said that I doubt there's much Griffiths could do to become the first choice striker while Dembele remains at Celtic. What Griffiths has to realise and accept though is, that's less of a reflection on Griffiths and more about Dembele – he's quite simply an all round better player. However, there was an opportunity there for Griffiths while Dembele was injured and he wasn't able to take it.

Going back to my original point and somebody mentioned this earlier, if Dembele was to give us 6 – 7 years, he could become the greatest Celt ever. That's not going to happen. While I don't think Griffiths has the potential to be the greatest Celt ever….he can none the less play himself into being one of the best. Question is, does he have that ambition….and the application to match.

The Goal of Year in graphics:

24 passes
All players involved
Lustig rabona

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Stats

St Johnstone
Celtic

Possession
Home34%
Away66%

Shots
Home5
Away17

Shots on Target
Home1
Away12

Corners
Home5
Away6

Fouls
Home11
Away 9

Articles

St Johnstone 2 – 5 Celtic: Substitute Dembele nets hat-trick
http://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/competitions/premiership/st-johnstone-2-5-celtic-substitute-dembele-nets-hat-trick-1-4358512
Moussa Dembele celebrates with Nir Bitton, right, after scoring from the spot. Picture: Getty
STEPHEN HALLIDAY
IT is not often the scorer of a hat-trick is challenged as the main talking point of a match but Moussa Dembele’s contribution to an emphatic Celtic victory in Perth was almost overshadowed by an astonishing blunder from referee Craig Thomson.

With the Scottish champions trailing 2-1 after an hour and their season-long unbeaten domestic run under threat, Thomson erred horribly to award them a penalty kick for handball against St Johnstone defender Keith Watson.
Dembele, who had just come onto the field as a substitute, converted from the spot with his first touch of the ball which he would go on to take home with him after two more goals to take his tally for the season to 23.
Celtic merited their 19th consecutive league win on the balance of play but the penalty was certainly a massive turning point in a hugely entertaining contest which saw them stretch their lead at the top of the Premiership to 27 points.
Liam Henderson’s sixth minute strike put Celtic ahead before a Watson header and an own goal from Dedryck Boyata earned Saints a half-time lead. The second half belonged to Dembele, complemented by a fine Scott Sinclair goal, but Tommy Wright and his team will simmer with resentment over Thomson’s part in their downfall for some time to come.
Since breaking into the Celtic first team as a 17-year-old under Neil Lennon’s management three years ago, midfielder Henderson’s development has unquestionably been advanced by his loan spells at Rosenborg and Hibs.
He has had to exercise patience at the champions this season but wasted little time in making the most of only his fourth starting appearance since Brendan Rodgers took charge.
The early warning signs were clear for a St Johnstone backline which had to adapt to the absence of their redoubtable captain Steven Anderson who missed out because of tonsillitis. Wright deployed a three-man central defence to try and compensate for the loss of his influential leader but there were immediately some uncomfortable moments for them as Celtic swarmed eagerly forward in the opening stages.
Zander Clark made a sharp save to deny Gary Mackay-Steven’s shot, after a slick move involving Patrick Roberts and Henderson, but the Saints’ goalkeeper found himself beaten from the subsequent corner kick.
The ball found its way to Roberts and when Clark could only parry his shot back out towards the edge of the penalty area, Henderson pounced to sweep a precise left foot shot high into the net from around 15 yards.
Celtic appeared primed to take complete control at this stage and Henderson was denied a second goal in the 10th minute when, after latching onto Kieran Tierney’s cutback, his shot was blocked by Tam Scobbie.
The home side, however, gradually secured a foothold in the contest, mainly due to the clever promptings of Swanson. He registered Saints’ first significant attempt on goal, seizing upon a slack clearance from Craig Gordon to drive a shot narrowly wide from 25 yards.
Swanson then led a sweeping counter-attack and picked out Richard Foster’s run into the Celtic penalty area with a superb through ball. Foster might hand done better with his finish, although Gordon’s advance from his line and blocking save was exemplary.
The game had developed a more evenly matched feel but Mackay-Steven should have given Celtic the comfort of a two goal lead in the 22nd minute, tamely shooting straight at Clark after being set up by Sinclair after a tremendous break by the winger.
It was a missed opportunity Celtic would rue as Saints turned the game around before the interval. The equaliser came from a corner forced by David Wotherspoon on the right after another pacy counter-attack. Swanson took the set piece and picked out Watson who climbed above Nir Bitton to power in a header from around six yards which Gordon was unable to divert from its course to the roof of his net.
Henderson had a chance to quickly restore Celtic’s lead but saw his shot held by Clark this time. Saints, playing with increasing belief and purpose, were now just as threatening as the visitors and Wotherspoon was wasteful when he sent a free header wide after being found by another precise delivery from Swanson.
There was a better reward for Swanson’s next cross as it saw Saints take the lead two minutes before half-time. Wotherspoon again rose to try and meet it but when he failed to make contact, his unfortunate marker Boyata inadvertently nodded the ball into his own net.
Celtic made a brisk start to the second half in response and Mackay-Steven, less than impressive on a rare starting appearance, passed up a premium chance to equalise when he scuffed a left foot shot wide from close range.
The controversial nature of the 61st minute penalty which did draw Celtic level at 2-2 merely compounded a sense of grievance in the home ranks which had been provoked by Thomson’s denial of their own spot-kick claim seven minutes later when Swanson went down under a clumsy challenge from behind by Scott Brown.
If that one was debatable, there was no doubt that Thomson made the wrong call when he pointed to the spot at the other end. Tierney’s cross struck Watson on his hip as the defender turned to block it. Even it had hit his arm, which he tucked into his body, it would have a highly dubious claim.
All of which was of little concern to Dembele who had just entered the fray as a replacement for Mackay-Steven. He smashed the penalty high to Clark’s right into the net and it was the cue for the roof to fall in on Saints.
Dembele put Celtic ahead in the 75th minute, beating Clark with a precise right foot finish from 20 yards, then Sinclair’s 16th goal of the season made the victory safe for the champions six minutes later as he shot home from just inside the box after a rapid raid from Roberts.
The gloss was added five minutes from time in extravagant style, Mikael Lustig’s rabona pass complented by Callum McGregor’s back-heeled ball in a move finished emphatically by Dembele to complete his hat-trick.
ST JOHNSTONE (5-3-2): Clark, Foster (MacLean 78), Watson, Shaughnessy, Scobbie, Easton; Paton, Wotherspoon (Alston 70), Swanson (Craig 86); Davidson, Cummins. Subs not used: Mannus, Millar, Smith, Thomson.
CELTIC (4-2-3-1): Gordon, Lustig, Sviatchenko, Boyata, Tierney; Bitton, Brown; Mackay-Steven (Dembele 59), Henderson (McGregor 72), Sinclair; Roberts (Ciftci 86). Subs not used: De Vries, Simunovic, Gamboa, Forrest.

BBC

By Chris McLaughlin

BBC Sport at McDiarmid Park

3 hours ago From the section Football

Moussa Dembele scores
Moussa Dembele scored three goals in a 24-minute spell

Substitute Moussa Dembele scored a hat-trick as Celtic came from behind to beat St Johnstone and go 27 points clear at the top of the Premiership.

Liam Henderson's goal for the visitors was cancelled out by Keith Watson's header and David Wotherspoon's effort went in off Celtic's Dedryck Boyata.

Dembele converted a controversial penalty to equalise and then fired the visitors ahead.

And further strikes by Scott Sinclair and Dembele followed.

Brendan Rodgers remains unbeaten by domestic opponents as Celtic manager and his side have now won 19 league games in a row.

St Johnstone trail fourth-placed Hearts by three points but remain 10 ahead of Motherwell.
Sizzling start

St Johnstone boss Tommy Wright was determined to snuff out the danger posed by Celtic youngster Kieran Tierney and so pushed Richard Foster into the midfield to keep him company but it was another Celtic youngster who helped the champions draw first blood.

Liam Hendreson, Patrick Roberts and Gary Mackay-Steven all started with real drive and intent for the visitors and after Zander Clark pulled off two good saves from Roberts and Mackay-Steven, Henderson curled the ball beautifully past the Saints number one.
Liam Henderson scores
Henderson (far right) scored his first Celtic goal in over two years

It was just reward for a sizzling start and at that stage the home side were struggling to deal with Celtic's energy in midfield.

But this St Johnstone side, the last to beat the champions way back at the end of last season, rarely buckles and that is down to belief.
Saints fight back

As expected, Celtic were enjoying most of the possession, but after the goal they were wasteful with their chances and the home side started to venture out with the odd probing counter attack and were rewarded from a set play.

Danny Swanson curled in a sumptuous corner from the right and Watson's sheer will took him above the Celtic defence where he bulleted a header past goalkeeper Craig Gordon, with the ball taking a nick of Celtic captain Scott Brown's head.

The champions were rocked but there was worse to come for them before the break as Saints sensed some rare vulnerability.

Again Swanson was the man who provided the inch-perfect cross, this time from the left on the counter attack. His ball found the head of Wotherspoon inside the box and he deftly flicked it backwards where it bounced off Boyata and into the net.
St Johnstone score against Celtic
Boyata had scored the winner in Celtic's last game against St Johnstone

They got the breaks they needed but it was no more than their efforts deserved in the first half.
Spot-kick controversy

Fearing for their unbeaten run, Celtic came out in the second half determined to turn the screw and poured forward in waves. Saints were holding them at bay, though, until a penalty award that infuriated Wright and his St Johnstone players.

Tierney left Foster on the floor with some trickery at the edge of the box but his cross was cut out at close range by Watson, who twisted his body away as he fell, and referee Craig Thompson immediately pointed to the spot for handball.

It looked harsh but despite the protests, Dembele, just on for Mackay-Steven, stepped up and blasted high past Clark to level.
Moussa Dembele scores a penalty
Dembele came on after missing Celtic's last two games
Celtic class

The home side knew they now had a mountain to climb as Celtic sensed the tide turning – and turn it most certainly did.

Top scorer Dembele's low drive from 16 yards after fabulous build-up play put them ahead before Sinclair made it four after good running from Roberts.

With the game won it was showboating time and the fifth was simply sublime.

Mikael Lustig's rabona inside the box found sub Callum McGregor, who had a flick of his own into the path of Dembele and the Frenchman smashed in his hat-trick and 23rd goal of the season.

It was hard to take for the St Johnstone fans who thought for a time that the seemingly impossible might just be possible but it was a thing of beauty to seal Celtic's 29th unbeaten domestic game since the start of the season.

Match ends, St. Johnstone 2, Celtic 5.
Booking
Posted at 90'+3'

Liam Craig (St. Johnstone) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Booking
Posted at 90'+3'

Mikael Lustig (Celtic) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Full Time
Posted at 90'+3'

Second Half ends, St. Johnstone 2, Celtic 5.
Posted at 90'+2'

Attempt blocked. Moussa Dembele (Celtic) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked.
Posted at 90'

Attempt missed. Nir Bitton (Celtic) right footed shot from outside the box is just a bit too high from a direct free kick.
Posted at 89'

Foul by Joe Shaughnessy (St. Johnstone).
Posted at 89'

Scott Sinclair (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Substitution
Posted at 86'

Substitution, St. Johnstone. Liam Craig replaces Danny Swanson.
Substitution
Posted at 86'

Substitution, Celtic. Nadir Ciftci replaces Patrick Roberts.
Goal!
Posted at 85'

Goal! St. Johnstone 2, Celtic 5. Moussa Dembele (Celtic) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Callum McGregor.
Goal!
Posted at 81'

Goal! St. Johnstone 2, Celtic 4. Scott Sinclair (Celtic) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Patrick Roberts.
Posted at 81'

Corner, St. Johnstone. Conceded by Erik Sviatchenko.
Posted at 79'

Corner, St. Johnstone. Conceded by Dedryck Boyata.
Substitution
Posted at 78'

Substitution, St. Johnstone. Steven MacLean replaces Richard Foster.
Posted at 78'

Graham Cummins (St. Johnstone) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Posted at 78'

Foul by Dedryck Boyata (Celtic).
Posted at 77'

Attempt saved. Kieran Tierney (Celtic) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
Goal!
Posted at 75'

Goal! St. Johnstone 2, Celtic 3. Moussa Dembele (Celtic) right footed shot from outside the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Mikael Lustig.
Posted at 74'

Paul Paton (St. Johnstone) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Posted at 74'

Foul by Dedryck Boyata (Celtic).
Substitution
Posted at 72'

Substitution, Celtic. Callum McGregor replaces Liam Henderson.
Substitution
Posted at 70'

Substitution, St. Johnstone. Blair Alston replaces David Wotherspoon.
Posted at 69'

Attempt saved. Nir Bitton (Celtic) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
Posted at 68'

Hand ball by Murray Davidson (St. Johnstone).
Posted at 63'

Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Murray Davidson.
Posted at 63'

Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Murray Davidson.
Posted at 62'

Foul by Danny Swanson (St. Johnstone).
Posted at 62'

Scott Brown (Celtic) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Goal!
Posted at 61'

Goal! St. Johnstone 2, Celtic 2. Moussa Dembele (Celtic) converts the penalty with a right footed shot to the top left corner.
Posted at 60'

Penalty conceded by Richard Foster (St. Johnstone) with a hand ball in the penalty area.
Substitution
Posted at 59'

Substitution, Celtic. Moussa Dembele replaces Gary Mackay-Steven.
Booking
Posted at 58'

Paul Paton (St. Johnstone) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Posted at 58'

Foul by Paul Paton (St. Johnstone).
Posted at 58'

Nir Bitton (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Posted at 55'

Corner, St. Johnstone. Conceded by Scott Brown.
Posted at 53'

Danny Swanson (St. Johnstone) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Posted at 53'

Foul by Mikael Lustig (Celtic).
Posted at 50'

Attempt missed. Gary Mackay-Steven (Celtic) left footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the right.
Posted at 50'

Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Joe Shaughnessy.
Posted at 50'

Attempt blocked. Liam Henderson (Celtic) left footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked.
Posted at 50'

Foul by Joe Shaughnessy (St. Johnstone).
Posted at 50'

Patrick Roberts (Celtic) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Posted at 48'

Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Joe Shaughnessy.
Second Half
Posted at

Second Half begins St. Johnstone 2, Celtic 1.
Half Time
Posted at 45'+2'

First Half ends, St. Johnstone 2, Celtic 1.
Posted at 45'+2'

Attempt saved. Liam Henderson (Celtic) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top right corner.
Posted at 45'+1'

Foul by David Wotherspoon (St. Johnstone).
Posted at 45'+1'

Patrick Roberts (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Goal!
Posted at 43'

Own Goal by Dedryck Boyata, Celtic. St. Johnstone 2, Celtic 1.
Posted at 42'

Brian Easton (St. Johnstone) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Posted at 42'

Foul by Gary Mackay-Steven (Celtic).
Posted at 41'

Foul by Graham Cummins (St. Johnstone).
Posted at 41'

Dedryck Boyata (Celtic) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Posted at 40'

Foul by David Wotherspoon (St. Johnstone).
Posted at 40'

Scott Brown (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Posted at 40'

Attempt missed. David Wotherspoon (St. Johnstone) header from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the left.
Posted at 39'

Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Paul Paton.
Posted at 35'

Attempt missed. Scott Sinclair (Celtic) right footed shot from outside the box is too high.
Posted at 33'

Attempt saved. Liam Henderson (Celtic) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top centre of the goal.
Goal!
Posted at 31'

Goal! St. Johnstone 1, Celtic 1. Keith Watson (St. Johnstone) header from the centre of the box to the top left corner. Assisted by Danny Swanson with a cross following a corner.
Posted at 31'

Corner, St. Johnstone. Conceded by Kieran Tierney.
Posted at 31'

Attempt blocked. David Wotherspoon (St. Johnstone) right footed shot from a difficult angle on the right is blocked.
Posted at 30'

Corner, Celtic. Conceded by Tam Scobbie.
Posted at 27'

Foul by Murray Davidson (St. Johnstone).
Posted at 27'

Gary Mackay-Steven (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Posted at 22'

Attempt saved. Gary Mackay-Steven (Celtic) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
Posted at 19'

Murray Davidson (St. Johnstone) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Posted at 19'

Foul by Liam Henderson (Celtic).
Posted at 14'

Keith Watson (St. Johnstone) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Posted at 14'

Foul by Kieran Tierney (Celtic).
Posted at 13'

Attempt missed. Danny Swanson (St. Johnstone) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the left.
Posted at 12'

Foul by Nir Bitton (Celtic).
Posted at 12'

Murray Davidson (St. Johnstone) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Posted at 11'

Graham Cummins (St. Johnstone) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Posted at 11'

Foul by Scott Brown (Celtic).
Posted at 7'

Mikael Lustig (Celtic) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Posted at 7'

Foul by Graham Cummins (St. Johnstone).
Goal!
Posted at 6'

Goal! St. Johnstone 0, Celtic 1. Liam Henderson (Celtic) left footed shot from the centre of the box to the top right corner.
Posted at 6'

Attempt saved. Patrick Roberts (Celtic) left footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the bottom right corner.
Posted at 6'

Attempt saved. Gary Mackay-Steven (Celtic) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
Posted at 3'

Attempt missed. Brian Easton (St. Johnstone) left footed shot from outside the box is too high.
Posted at 2'

Corner, St. Johnstone. Conceded by Dedryck Boyata.
Posted at 2'

Foul by Mikael Lustig (Celtic).
Posted at 2'

Murray Davidson (St. Johnstone) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Kick Off
Posted at

First Half begins.

Lineups are announced and players are warming up.