Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain was named as Celtic’s man of the match against St Mirren.
Given that he scored the only goal of the game, it’s easy to assume that this was a safe decision by the club, made solely off the back of his goal.
But that isn’t the case. Oxlade-Chamberlain ran his socks off throughout, earning his award in his best Celtic performance so far.
We examined the numbers behind the 32-year-old’s performance…
How are you lining up?
Why Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain showed his best version for Celtic vs St Mirren
The Englishman has alternated between operating as a number six and a number eight since coming to Glasgow, and it’s now clear which one suits him best.
Callum McGregor had 51 touches on the day, whilst Benjamin Nygren had 44. Oxlade-Chamberlain had just 26.
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That’s because his focus was on running off the ball, attacking St Mirren’s defensive line. The benefit of this was evident in the opening period of the game, which Celtic dominated, particularly on the left side.
Of course, when he had the ball, he contributed. Oxlade-Chamberlain completed nine carries, two key passes and two long-distance passes in his 73 minutes on the pitch.
He won 60% of his ground duels too, holding his own against a St Mirren midfield which impressed on the day.
For Celtic as a whole, it was an unusual performance.
Just seven shots marked Celtic’s lowest Scottish Premiership total since the goalless draw with Russell Martin’s Rangers under Brendan Rodgers in August, and their lowest at home all season.
As anyone who had a bet builder will probably already know, the Hoops had just three corners to the Saints’ seven.
Arne Engels made his return from injury as a second-half substitute, giving Martin O’Neill a major decision to make regarding his midfield trio going forward.
Extend Ox’s contract, or let him go?
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Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s Celtic comments post-St Mirren win
The midfielder praised the return of the Green Brigade after the game, saying: “I could feel a difference, definitely, because I hadn’t experienced it before.
“The atmosphere has been great in previous games but it was nice to have those guys back and it’s good for all the fanbase.
“That was my first glimpse into the power those guys have in terms of the rest of the stadium and lifting the rest of the crowd.
“They can help us get over the line in tough games. The crowd will be massive for us and it was great to see them back in.
“We went over to that small section at the end and the noise they made and the passion they showed is going to be huge for us. Especially in games like that when it’s 1-0 and can be a bit cagey.
“That’s the time when you need the fans and they can make a massive difference for us.”
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