Celtic’s win over Hibs opens up a huge gap at the top of the Scottish Premiership that even Aberdeen and Rangers will struggle to pull back now.
After Celtic beat Hibs at Parkhead, Aberdeen dropped more points at home to St Johnstone as Jimmy Thelin’s poor run of form since the Bhoys beat the Pittodrie club in the League Cup semi-final continues.
With Rangers playing at lunchtime today, there is a 14-point gap from the Ibrox club who still sit in third place so Brendan Rodgers’ defence of the title is looking good.
However, Celtic took care of their own business against a Hibs side who were resilient and, if truth be told, were slightly unlucky not to go ahead early in the game were it not for Kasper Schmeichel’s heroics between the sticks.
Reacting to the result, Hibs boss David Gray told his club TV channel his ‘immediate thoughts’ as he looked gutted after the 3-0 Celtic Park defeat.
David Gray finds it ‘difficult to be positive’ after Celtic beat Hibs
Hibs are languishing at the bottom of the Scottish Premiership table and the capital club looks to stave off a relegation dogfight.
The Easter Road club started off with real intent in looking to take something from the game but Celtic’s first chance, and goal, from Arne Engels, left the Hibs boss feeling frustrated and gutted.
Gray told Hibs TV, “Obviously, my immediate thoughts are disappointment because we lost the game but I need to also be mindful of the fact of what I asked the players to do.
And for large periods of the game, they did. I thought they were brave at times on the ball and I can’t remember really coming here and creating so many clear-cut chances.
“But at the same time on reflection on a 3-0 defeat, it’s difficult to then be positive because of that. Their goalkeeper gets man of the match for them which tells you everything from our point of view on chances we have created but also probably highlights our season so far as well.
“We’ve created a lot of clearcut chances and not taking them in big moments in the game and it just shows at the other end how clinical they were when they got their chances.”
David Gray praised the ‘clinical nature’ of Celtic striker Kyogo Furuhashi vs Hibs
“I think again the first one, especially, comes from a clearcut chance my point of view,” continued Gray, “That then highlights the need to take your chances when you’re on top in the game.
“Especially coming here to a venue like this, how difficult it is, and then obviously, the goal they get is their first chance in the game.
“And it shows you why they where they are and how clinical they are. From then on, we have another chance to get the next goal in the game. It’s poor to lose a goal from a set piece.
“I thought we definitely need to improve in that area today. We weren’t as good as we have been so that’s something to definitely work on.
“And then the last goal later on. we made changes to try and chase the game a little bit and then there’s a mistake.
“We give the ball away in the middle of the pitch and then, again, the clinical nature of Kyogo, gets his touch and finish one-on-one with the goalkeeper which we had three times today and never hit the back of the net.
Goals from Arne Engels, a Joe Newell own-goal, and Kyogo’s stunning finish leave Hibs languishing at the foot of the table seven points from the top six.
Whilst that gap is not insurmountable, Gray will be worried just two wins from 16 means that his side are in serious trouble this season.
For Celtic, life is looking good. With the Champions League up on Tuesday night and then the League Cup final against Rangers to look forward to, the big games just keep coming for the champions as their dominant start to the season continues.
