James McFadden says ‘what many people thought’ would happen to Jota at Celtic hasn’t happened

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Jota is enjoying himself in Celtic colours again.

Days after the disappointment of the Bayern Munich game, Celtic beat Dundee United 3-0 to push closer towards winning another Premiership title.

It’s a matter of when the title will be won, not if, as the lead at the top of the Premiership table is 13 points.

Jota netted against Dundee United – it was his first goal at Celtic Park since returning to the club in January from Ligue 1 side, Rennes.

The 25-year-old only joined the French side in the summer, but life never got going and he didn’t even complete 90 minutes for the club.

Given that lack of game time and fitness, you would have presumed that Jota would have needed time to settle in again, but think again.

Jota looking ‘sharp’ on Celtic return

James McFadden lauded Jota for ‘looking sharp’ since returning to Glasgow and how ‘many people’ thought he would ‘take time to get up to speed’, as he told Sportscene.

Whether he is one-v-one with the fullback or he is making darting runs from the left channel, it’s like the old Jota never left.

That’s even better for Brendan Rodgers because it provides him with a selection headache and it quietens the noise of Celtic not replacing Kyogo Furuhashi last month.

“He looked sharp and he has looked sharp since he has come in,” said McFadden. “I think many people thought that it would take him a bit of time to get up to speed, but certainly he was a real threat, particularly in the first half.

“But I like his positioning. He isn’t desperate to come and get a touch of the ball. He holds his width. He is high up the pitch, so it allows him to get that one-v-one. More often than not, he has got an end product.

“That is an issue for defenders (he can go on either foot) because he is more than happy to go down to his left and put crosses into the box. The decision-making is good. I don’t see any sign of rustiness or lack of sharpness. Maybe that power and fitness will still come.

“But I thought he was excellent against Dundee United and it’s not easy when you are constantly getting the ball as a wide man because you are encouraged to take people on. That will be good for him. He has one-v-ones, his running, driving inside, getting crosses and you look at the flashy stuff he does. He scores goals. As a wideman, that’s brilliant.”

Brendan Rodgers’ Celtic headache ahead of Bayern Munich trip

Celtic have a tall order to beat Bayern at the Allianz Arena, but at least they know that goals, and nothing else, are in order.

When Jota came onto the pitch in the first leg, and Daizen Maeda went down the middle, Celtic looked a far better team with and without the ball.

So, will Rodgers start the Portuguese star on the left flank and put Maeda down the middle? Because Jota’s sharpness, match fitness states and performances state that it is more than possible.

	Competiton	Apps	Goals	Assists	Minutes
	Premiership	3	2	1	149