Celtic have managed to climb to the summit of the Scottish Premiership following a comfortable victory over St Johnstone at the weekend.
The Bhoys will now spend the international break at the top of the pile owing to Dundee vs Rangers being postponed last Sunday.
Kyogo Furuhashi, Nicolas Kuhn and James Forrest are all to thank for a day of smooth sailing against Craig Levein’s outfit, who replied late on through a close-range finish from Connor Smith.
Nevertheless, that was the only minor blot during an occasion where Celtic highlighted their title-winning credentials at a key stage in the season.
Brendan Rodgers has plenty to be pleased about going off our last two victories over Livingston and St Johnston, though Furuhashi’s recent resurgence may offer him the most encouragement ahead of the run-in, given he has recorded two goals in his last two appearances.
Overall, the 29-year-old has now scored 15 goals and laid on four assists in 40 outings, which isn’t actually a bad tally at all despite a noticeable struggle for the Hoops talisman at times this campaign [Transfermarkt].
Tam McManus explains Kyogo Furuhashi’s recent Celtic exploits
Of course, there may be a variety of reasons for Furuhashi’s timely return among the goals; however, pundit Tam McManus believes there has been one key change in circumstances that has given the Japan international some extra motivation.
The former Hibernian man has opined that Adam Idah’s arrival and involvement in the starting line-up since joining on loan from Norwich City could be related to Furuhashi’s new-found swagger.
McManus stated [PLZ Soccer]: “I think Kyogo looked as sharp as he has all season. I looked at his movement – even the ones that got chopped off for offside, and it was great.
“One was marginal, and the other well offside, but I think Adam Idah coming in has given him a boot up the backside.
“Kyogo was too comfortable. There was no pressure on his position all season, right up until January, until Idah came in and started scoring goals. Kyogo found himself on the bench, and I think that was the wee rocket he needed to come back into the team and look sharper.”
Form is temporary, class is permanent, and Furuhashi was never woefully out of form, though it has felt in periods this season that he is on a different wavelength from others in the side.
Nicolas Kuhn has started to blossom in green and white, adding an extra layer of creativity that can only bode well once we get back to business after the international break.
Looking forward, Furuhashi still has plenty of time to record some mightily impressive numbers to help our pursuit of two trophies.
Receive a digest of our best Celtic content each week direct to your mailbox
