Luke McCowan was the star of the show for Celtic in their 5-0 victory over Ross County as Brendan Rodgers took his side to five points above Aberdeen in the Scottish Premiership table.
The former Dundee midfielder got on the scoresheet himself and laid on three assists as the Bhoys delivered a masterclass in front of a capacity Parkhead crowd.
Contextually, Luke McCowan’s £1 million move to Celtic may start to enter conversations for the signing of the season if he keeps up his current form. Despite not starting the majority of games, he is certainly putting himself in contention for a permanent slot in the engine room.
Industrious, technical and possessing that little bit of magic needed to make you a fan favourite, he has shown he is more than worth his place under Brendan Rodgers despite taking an alternative path to stardom in Glasgow’s east end from many of his teammates.
With his rise to prominence veering off the charts, the Irishman has explained why he always had faith in McCowan to deliver against Ross County.
Brendan Rodgers on Luke McCowan as Celtic smash Ross County
Speaking live on Sportsound, Rodgers explained that McCowan has been a thorough professional behind the scenes, and his hard work has paved the way for a platform to earn his reward in a dominant Bhoys home win over the Staggies.
He explained: “He’s really settled in well. Luke, he’s obviously had to be patient. Obviously, he’s not with us for the cup games.
He was due to come on in the last couple of games and then we had to make changes because of little injuries in the game.
“But he gets his reward for how hard he works; I think it tells you everything about him that he hasn’t played for that length of time and for 70-odd minutes, whatever it was, he was so good. His pressing, his energy and his quality, so yeah, it’s so good his form.”
Brendan Rodgers opens door to Celtic fringe men
Post-match, Rodgers indicated that Celtic’s fringe players are all capable of starting when needed over the coming weeks, which is as good as an open invitation for anyone to claim a place, providing their hard work matches up.
McCowan certainly falls into that category after an excellent start to life at his boyhood club, taking opportunities that have come his way rather than spurning them.
Hopefully, the playmaker can be a fixture during the festive period as he continues to shine under the spotlight at Celtic.
