There is no stopping this Celtic side.
On Wednesday night, Celtic beat Aberdeen 1-0 at Pittodrie to open up a seven-point lead at the top of the Premiership table, with a game in hand.
On paper, the table suggests that things have been pretty easy for the champions, but in the two league matches, it has to be admitted that Aberdeen have made life difficult, including during that 2-2 draw in the reverse fixture.
It’s obvious to all why Jimmy Thelin’s side are the second-best team in Scotland because Celtic had to fight and scrap for their points.
Conditions were pretty awful in Aberdeen and it did lessen the quality from both sides, but that still didn’t stop the away team from producing the magical game-defining moment.
Greg Taylor came on at half-time for Alex Valle, with the young Barcelona star on a booking, as Taylor’s dinked pass found the on-rushing Reo Hatate in the 78th minute and he scored the winning goal.
Greg Taylor is ‘a fantastic example to any young player’ after Celtic beat Aberdeen
Over the weekend, Celtic outclassed Ross County and Taylor was rested for Valle – with Brendan Rodgers then continuing with the Spaniard against Aberdeen.
But, at the break, the on-loan star was being replaced and Taylor would then do his talking on the pitch.
Marvin Bartley told Sportscene that the Scotland international is a ‘fantastic example to any young player’ because of how he reacted to being ‘taken out of the team’ by his manager.
“You are bringing on like for like, in terms of quality,” said Bartley. “There aren’t many squads, if any other team, that can actually do that.
“Celtic always weigh you down. In the first half, Aberdeen were really good and the structure was really good. But Celtic are always probing and weighing you down. They get an opportunity and it’s a top-class finish. He still had a lot to do.
“Greg Taylor coming off the bench, a fantastic example for any young player, sometimes you are taken out of the team, but when you come on, it’s about doing your job and he did that by getting a brilliant assist – he is in a fullback position, but he comes right inside, but this is what Greg Taylor is so good at doing. Comes extremely narrow. What makes it difficult is that the two holding midfield players for Aberdeen are occupied now, so all of a sudden, Greg Taylor is free, Hatate puts his hand up and he makes a perfect run. Take nothing away. That’s a great touch, but to finish it the way he does, that’s the only place he could have put it to go into the back of the net. A real top-quality goal.”
Taylor’s stats for Celtic after win over Aberdeen
Taylor being on the bench – amongst others – further proves the depth in quality Rodgers has to pick from.
But he has now won his place back in the XI and should keep it for Celtic’s home clash against Hibernian at the weekend.
Despite only playing 45 minutes, Taylor was the second-best rated player against Aberdeen by WhoScored at 7.60.
| Total tackles | Clear | Inter | Key Passes | Passes | PA% | Aerials won | Dribbles | Touches | Rating |
| 2 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 33 | 78.8 | 1 | 1 | 49 | 7.60 |
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