When Cameron Carter-Vickers isn’t playing for Celtic, you notice the difference.
The man brought in by Ange Postecoglou has been an incredible signing for the club and that was further showcased at Hampden on Sunday.
Celtic beating Rangers on penalties in the League Cup final came with its difficulties and Brendan Rodgers had to make some huge calls.
That included hooking off Auston Trusty at half-time for Liam Scales, with Celtic 1-0 down and simply not performing to their high standards.
That surely would have put Carter-Vickers under more pressure, but he stood up to it all.
Just before the Bhoys equalised, the USMNT international prevented Rangers from doubling their lead when he was four on one inside the penalty area.
Billy Dodds lauds Cameron Carter-Vickers’ interception against Rangers
After Daizen Maeda scored the trophy-winning penalty, the Japan star was rightfully lauded for remaining calm under pressure, including Kasper Schmeichel’s penalty save.
But Carter-Vickers’ interception was perhaps the pivotal moment because it prevented Rangers from giving themselves a cushion.
Billy Dodds reacted to the Celtic defender’s actions and how it ‘swung’ the course of the game, as he told The Scottish Football Podcast.
“It probably was the wrong pass, right,” said Dodds. “He could have probably gone on the two on the left.
“But see once he goes to the right of Bajrami. He has got to flash it back with pace. He just kind of faded it into an area.
“Great defending. He has to put himself in that position. You are right, it swung on that because, although Rangers picked the wrong pass and it was a four-on-one. They had to flash it across and Carter-Vickers doesn’t get a chance of it.
What Carter-Vickers did at the Darts after Celtic’s win over Rangers in League Cup final
With that League Cup final win, it now means that Celtic have won 119 trophies in their rich and illustrious history.
No other team in Scotland has more trophies as the Bhoys rightfully sit on top of the tree.
Carter-Vickers was celebrating Celtic’s win in London by watching the PDC World Darts Championships with a few of the players, and as you can see below, he was rubbing salt into the wounds.
