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Benjamin Nygren Looks Reborn Under Wilfried Nancy at Celtic
Wilfried Nancy could not have made a worse start to life at Celtic. But with two consecutive victories, there are signs that things are starting to click in attack, although there are still several issues the French coach must resolve.
Celtic’s 4-2 victory over Livingston had everything. It showed how vulnerable Celtic still are defensively, but it was also one of their best attacking displays under Nancy. The team was resilient to keep coming back after Livingston took the lead twice in the first 10 minutes.
During Nancy’s first four games – which brought four defeats – one of the players who struggled the most was Swedish midfielder Benjamin Nygren.
His ‘Man of the Match’ performance against Livingston might be another sign for Celtic; a sign that Nygren is ready to be a leader for Nancy.
Recent Struggles
Nygren started the season well and scored consistently, but the goals dried up by the end of October. When Nancy came in, the midfielder had been suffering a downturn in form. A sluggish first-half performance against Roma in the Europa League saw the midfielder hooked at halftime. The Swedish international was dropped for the Scottish League Cup Final. When Celtic were 3-1 down and desperately needing a goal, Nancy still did not turn to Nygren, leaving him on the bench as Celtic lost the final.
In Celtic’s next game – a 2-1 defeat to Dundee United – Nygren was again a substitute, only coming on in the 86th minute.
But in Nancy’s greatest hour of need, when there was talk that the Frenchman could be sacked, he started Nygren against Aberdeen. This would be a turning point for both Nancy and Nygren.
The Swede opened the scoring, giving himself the confidence boost he was starving for. Celtic went on to win 3-1 with Nygren playing the full 90 minutes. It was his next performance that really made fans think he could be back to his best.
Nygren Was Different Animal vs Livingston
Nygren put in a tremendous display against Livingston. His anticipation to get in at the back post gave Celtic their first equaliser. After conceding so early on, many might have feared the win against Aberdeen was a false dawn for Nancy. The Swede’s instant reply inspired his teammates and the fans, thrusting Celtic back into the fight.
After half an hour, the game was level at 2-2. Nygren, unafraid of the responsibility, stepped up and bent a beautiful strike from distance in off the post, giving Celtic the lead for the first time in the game. On top of his goal scoring, the midfielder showed real quality throughout the game with flicks and smart passes. It was an all-round class midfield performance.
Fans took to social media in praise of Nygren. One wrote: “Looked dangerous today. Goal-scoring midfielders are hard to find.” Another fan said: “Wee Benji Nygren is coming on to a game btw. A beautiful goal.”
While appreciating his performance, other fans recognised that he has recently had poor performances, with one Celtic supporter commenting: “One week we love him one week we hate him.”
Nygren will now hope to keep the love of the Celtic supporters, and gain the trust of Nancy with goals and good performances. Celtic will need a leader on the 3rd of January against Rangers.
5/10 Star Struggles: Livingston 2-4 Celtic – Scottish Premiership Player Ratings
Wilfried Nancy picked up his second successive win after four straight defeats
