Celtic came from behind to win at Easter Road, with Kelechi Iheanacho netting a late winner as Alistair Johnston impressed on his return but Sebastian Tounekti struggled before being hooked.
Martin O’Neill believes a draw between William Hill Premiership title rivals Hearts and Rangers would be the best result for Celtic after they kept themselves firmly in the three-horse race with a “very edgy” 2-1 victory away to 10-man Hibernian.
Substitute Kelechi Iheanacho scored the decisive goal in the 72nd minute after the Hibees – who had Jamie McGrath sent off in the 20th minute – cancelled out Daizen Maeda’s 41st minute opener when Joe Newell notched in first-half stoppage time.
The Hoops moved level on points with the table-topping Jambos – with an inferior goal difference – and four ahead of third-placed Gers. Those two teams play their game in hand against each other at Tynecastle on Monday evening – and both still have to visit Celtic Park.
Here is how the Bhoys rated at Hibs:
VILIJAMI SINISALO
Given freedom to operate as a sweeper keeper for most of the match in Leith but was found wanting for the leveller. He misjudged his attempt before Joe Newell’s controversial effort found the back of the net. The Finland international attempted to maintain tempo with the numerical advantage and found himself unexpectedly busy as Hibs mounted late pressure. 6
ALISTAIR JOHNSTON
A game-changing presence who elevates Celtic whenever he features. His willingness to vary his positioning by drifting wide before surging into central areas proved highly effective. Johnston’s assist for the opening goal capped a tireless display down the right flank. The Canada international deservedly got his rest and his current form is encouraging ahead of the run-in. 8
AUSTON TRUSTY
When the towering American is attempting efforts from distance, you know Celtic are in control. Owen Elding worked hard but found little joy against Trusty and his defensive colleagues. A menace at attacking set pieces, he would have shared the general frustration with the inconsistent quality of delivery on an afternoon when dead-ball situations were plentiful. 6
LIAM SCALES
He slumped to the turf with relief when the whistle blew and the Irish defender gave everything physically. Scales seemed deliberately quickening his distribution and that matched the away side’s early ambitions. He was required to defend resolutely in the dying moments. 6
KIERAN TIERNEY
While he didn’t match Johnston’s impact on the opposite flank, the Scotland international produced a solid performance without any significant mistakes. Sebastian Tounekti, despite his shortcomings, seems well-suited to playing alongside the 28-year-old on the left side, given his preference for cutting infield. Although Tierney remained relatively quiet for extended periods, apart from delivering a few tidy crosses, he sparked into life during the closing stages. 7
ARNE ENGELS
The Belgian midfielder’s distribution fell below his usual standards at Easter Road. With the opposition sitting deep with 10 men behind the ball, his energy couldn’t make an impact, and he failed to provide the goalscoring threat that Martin O’Neill believes he’s capable of. His passing was often wayward and his attempts at clever through balls didn’t come off, though he did finish strongly. 6
CALLUM McGREGOR
The captain elevated his performance at Easter Road. He was both composed in possession and aggressive when winning the ball back. McGregor also showed his willingness to make forward runs and get ahead of play, a characteristic that seems to complement Alistair Johnston’s return to the first team. 7
BENJAMIN NYGREN
While the Swede’s 20-goal haul is clearly impressive, this match offered opportunities to both increase his tally and dominate proceedings. He thrives in the half spaces, yet there were numerous occasions where he hesitated rather than being decisive in crucial moments. Anthony Ralston came on to replace him late in the game. 6
YANG
While not quite the ideal complement to Johnston in the manner Nicolas Kuhn proved to be, the South Korean showed plenty of willingness to exploit space behind a tiring Hibs defence. At 23, he brings natural equilibrium when deployed on the right flank and posed problems in the opening period. However, when that extra touch of class was required, he fell short. Yang continues to be a valuable asset as the season reaches its climax. 6
DAIZEN MAEDA
An absolute bundle of energy from first whistle to last. If his finishing matched his work rate, his valuation would be through the roof. But there’s little point dwelling on weaknesses – the 28-year-old has rediscovered his form and his presence in attacking areas poses a genuine danger to Premiership opponents. He looked electric playing centrally and virtually unstoppable after switching to the left flank. 8
SEBASTIAN TOUNEKTI
The Tunisia international wasn’t flawless upon his introduction but at least demonstrated ambition. The 23-year-old now seems lacking in self-belief as he opts for the cautious option repeatedly. He was withdrawn for James Forrest after 63 minutes, though his substitution could have arrived much earlier. The player who once seemed guilty of overcomplicating matters has been diminished to a peripheral figure. Concerning for both immediate and future prospects. 5
LUKE MCCOWAN (Johnston, 64)
The former Dundee man made his presence felt and his incisive distribution pushed Hibs deeper. The former Dundee man displayed composure in the dying moments to help see out the match. 4 JAMES FORREST: (Tounekti, 64): He came on for Tounekti, prompted Yang to switch flanks and offered a reliable outlet down the right during the closing stages. 4
KELECHI IHEANCHO: (Yang, 70)
His finish was ice cool and summed-up his perfect role in this team. A specialist made for the biggest moments. They call it a closer in baseball and that’s what the Nigeria international is. Potentially a season-defining goal. 7
ANTHONY RALSTON: (Nygren, 77)
Bar a hairy backpass for Sinisalo, the Celtic utility man didn’t put a foot wrong. 4



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