Brendan Rodgers on why Matt O’Riley was chosen to be Celtic penalty taker vs Rangers

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Celtic kept their Scottish Premiership title hopes intact yesterday by claiming a 3-3 draw against Rangers at Ibrox.

With six league matches remaining, the Bhoys sit one point ahead of their rivals, who are scheduled to play their game in hand against Dundee on Wednesday.

Nevertheless, Brendan Rodgers knows six wins from their remaining schedule will be enough to bring a third successive title home to Parkhead, which shouldn’t be an unrealistic expectation.

Daizen Maeda’s brilliant pressing led to the Hoops’ opener on just 21 seconds before Matt O’Riley cooly slotted home from the spot just over ten minutes from the interval.

Throughout the season, Celtic have chopped and changed their penalty-taker, with the likes of Reo Hatate, Luis Palma and Adam Idah all stepping up from 12 yards.

Denmark international O’Riley wasn’t fazed by Jack Butland’s frame in the goalmouth, leaving the home goalkeeper with no chance courtesy of an expertly dispatched strike that silenced the Ibrox crowd.

Late in proceedings, Idah looked to have given Celtic all three points at Ibrox; nevertheless, Rabbi Matondo salvaged a point for the hosts in stoppage time.

Brendan Rodgers on Matt O’Riley’s penalty vs Rangers

Undoubtedly, Celtic have had a problematic relationship with converting penalties this season, missing five of their nine spot-kicks in the Scottish Premiership [Transfermarkt].

Despite this, Denmark international O’Riley didn’t bow to the pressure of the occasion, showing again why he is one of the Bhoys’ most trusted assets.

Speaking post-match, Rodgers has revealed how the scenario of O’Riley being deployed on penalty duties came about while also detailing that the 23-year-old had previously rehearsed his dinked effort in training.

Rodgers stated [Cited via The Celtic Way]: “No. It wasn’t, actually. He has wanted to take penalties. He came into my office a few months back and said: ‘Listen if you want to change penalty takers, I am here’. He asked the coaches, but we knew where it was going, and he showed that composure, and I knew as he had practised it the other day.”

He later added: “He had practised that and he said he was going to dink it down the middle.”

Matt O’Riley has been excellent for Celtic this season

Celtic required players to step up and take responsibility yesterday, and O’Riley turned in another vintage display, which will join a long line of excellent performances from the London-born man this campaign.

Per Transfermarkt, the former MK Dons man has now registered 13 goals and 16 assists in 41 appearances across all competitions.

O’Riley’s forte is creativity, and he has also managed to fashion 75 opportunities for his teammates on league duty [Fotmob].

Between now and the end of the season, expect the playmaker to carry the torch for Celtic as they look to get over the finish line by claiming a domestic double.