Celtic had to dig deep for their win over Kilmarnock on Sunday.
There are moments during the season when you put in these types of performances and all that matters is the end result.
Come the final whistle at Rugby Park, Celtic were celebrating three points against Kilmarnock, and to boot, they secured a clean sheet.
It’s understandable why life was so difficult for the champions because of the week the club has just had in three different competitions.
From thrashing Aberdeen in the League Cup semi-final to Brendan Rodgers masterminding a stunning win over RB Leipzig in the Champions League.
It has been a great week to be a Celtic supporter and you could argue that the international break has come at the right time because it allows everyone to reset again.
Many players have stepped up and proved their worth, with Kris Boyd highlighting the brilliance of one player, in particular, after the win over his former side.
Kris Boyd hails Kasper Schmeichel’s career after Celtic beat Kilmarnock
Joe Hart’s retirement in the summer was a big blow for the club, but fast forward to the present, and he hasn’t been missed because of Kasper Schmeichel.
The 38-year-old, who famously won the Premier League title in Leicester City colours, has been everything you expected and more.
As Kris Boyd touched upon, he was ‘composed’ and a ‘big presence’ during Celtic’s win over Kilmarnock, that’s why he walked away with the Man of the Match award.
Schmeichel had four saves to make, including a crucial stop just before Nicolas Kuhn scored his side’s second when the home team were on top.
Boyd added further that Schmeichel, son of legendary goalkeeper Peter, has had an ‘excellent’ career, as he told Sky Sports Football (10/11/24 at 5:10 pm).
“Yeah, he was (busy) and that’s why he was given it (the Man of the Match award),” said Boyd. “He made some big saves in big moments for Celtic.
“It’s not only that, I think he brings that composure to the backline, even when they were unsettled a few times Celtic defensively. You just know that he is a big presence. He makes himself as big as he possibly can.
“I know you never want to be compared, but when you look back at his father, the way he commanded the box and made himself as big as he possibly could and he does exactly the same. He has been a top keeper for years. It’s no surprise to see him come into this league, where it’s difficult to play in. But also in a Celtic jersey to replace Joe Hart and see the performances he is putting in. Over the course and distance of his career, he has been excellent.”
Schmeichel’s stats for Celtic against Kilmarnock
For large parts, Celtic control games on the domestic circuit, but that just wasn’t there against Killie.
On the one hand, you have to applaud the opposition, but on the other, it has been a gruelling week for the team, so you can’t expect everything to be perfect.
That’s when you need players like Schmeichel to step up and he did just that, with WhoScored rating his performance at 8.68.
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