Daizen Maeda scored first and last Celtic goal of 2024 | OneFootball

Brendan Rodgers brandished Celtic’s 4-0 victory over St Johnstone ‘excellent,’ with the Hoops going 14 points clear at the top of the league, looking down on the Rangers…

Daizen Meada celebrates scroing Celtic’s first goal of 2024 against St Mirren in Paisley. Photo Vagelis Georgariou

Daizen Maeda kicked Celtic off in 2024 with an early strike in Paisley against St Mirren. The Japanese winger fittingly ended it with a similar finish versus St Johnstone. It is a perfect depiction of how the year went for the soon to be crowned four-in-a-row Scottish champions.

Daizen Maeda scores the fourth goal during the Scottish Premiership match between Celtic and St. Johnstone at Celtic Park on December 29, 2024. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

Brendan Rodgers’ side ended the calendar year with only two defeats from 50 matches. No losses at Celtic Park across all competitions, and the fewest number of calendar year losses for the club in over 100 years.

Celtic sit 14 points in front of theRangers

All the while, Rodgers’ current relentless team sit 14 points in front of theRangers at the half-way mark of the league season, won the Premier Sports League Cup in dramatic fashion over their rivals, and place themselves in a cushy position to qualify for the knockout playoffs in the Champions League for the first time since 2012.

Rodgers prior to the St Johnstone clash told us that it would be a similar affair to the one against Motherwell on Boxing Day. The Irishman wasn’t wrong.

Celtic had to remain patient to breakdown a stuffy Saints side whose main objective, unsurprisingly, was to frustrate the hosts, but Nicolas Kuhn’s 14th strike of the season relieved any nerves in the stadium.

Nicolas Kuhn scores the first goal during the Scottish Premiership match between Celtic and St. Johnstone at Celtic Park on December 29, 2024. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

Relentless Celtic performances

The second-half performance like against the Steelmen was relentless. Goals two, three and four after the interval made it 52 scored already during this remarkable league campaign.

At the other end, it is now an incredible 15 clean sheets in 18 matches for Kasper Schmeichel. The Hoops have only conceded four times in the league since August.

Comprehensive back-to-back home victories sets the Celts up nicely heading to Ibrox on Thursday afternoon. Another victory over their rivals would increase the gap between the two clubs to 17, but let’s be honest, it’s already a dead rubber derby in the context of league standings.

You can confidently declare Celtic have won the title, again. For Rodgers, it is all about preserving this extraordinary domestic unbeaten run his side are on since March’s defeat at Tynecastle.

From minute one to the 94th minute, Celtic were outstanding

Speaking to Celtic TV after the Hoops’ 4-0 win over St Johnstone, Rodgers said, “It’s how you would want to finish. I thought from minute one to the 94th minute, we were outstanding in the game.”

“Firstly, our pressing and denying St Johnstone space, because I’ve seen them and they like to play and they can give you a problem with the ball.”

“But our pressing, we didn’t give away any chances, really, in the in the 18-yard box. And so our pressing from the front middle and the line moving was very, very good.”

Rodgers explained: “I thought with the ball we were we were excellent. We were fast. We made lots of runs, how you want to break the line, created lots of opportunities, maybe didn’t quite finish some of them, but our play and our goals were outstanding, and I think the focus of the players was so, so good. So, I’m very proud of that performance.”

“I said to the players afterwards I’m very, very proud”

Nicolas Kuhn celebrates scoring the first goal during the Scottish Premiership match between Celtic and St. Johnstone at Celtic Park on December 29, 2024. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

“I said to the players afterwards I’m very, very proud. Firstly, as the Celtic manager because I think when we look back on the statistics on this season, it really will be a historical season for us in terms of numbers and what we’ve achieved.”

“So, from that perspective, very, very proud. But as a Celtic supporter, I look and I see what these guys give the team and what they give every day of their life and also the staff all around the club, the team that’s working very closely with the players, everyone.”

Kyogo Furuhashi celebrates scoring the third goal during the Scottish Premiership match between Celtic C and St. Johnstone at Celtic Park on December 29, 2024. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

“It’s been a really, really special season for us”

“It’s been a really, really special season for us. One in three trophies but having that humility and perseverance to want to keep improving. So, I think 2024 as a manager, I’m very very proud and really excited by what 2025 can bring.”

Celtic in the Thirties by Celtic Historian Matt Corr is published in two volumes by Celtic Star Books.  ORDER NOW WHILE STOCKS LAST!

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