Celtic fans are still riding on the high of their side’s outstanding Champions League victory over RB Leipzig in midweek that has elevated their hopes of securing league phase progression.
While the Bhoys travel to Kilmarnock this weekend in the Scottish Premiership, you can’t blame supporters for milking the win a little longer than usual, given the strength of the opposition.
Delivering a performance to match their end result, Celtic swept Leipzig aside comprehensively, showing themselves in a positive light with the world tuning in to watch.
Brendan Rodgers now has his side top and unbeaten on league duty, into the Premier Sports Cup final and on course to secure Champions League qualification, which isn’t a bad return at this stage of the campaign.
With that in mind, pundit Stephen McGinn has pointed out his star performer from events in midweek against the Bundesliga’s second-placed outfit.
Stephen McGinn salutes ‘outstanding’ Auston Trusty
Speaking on the Go Radio Football Show, McGinn lauded Auston Trusty for his ‘absolutely outstanding’ performance against Leipzig that helped to keep Benjamin Sesko quiet at Parkhead.
He stated: “Sometimes over the years, Celtic have absolutely flown forward, and they’ve been done in behind. I felt Trusty; I think Trusty became a Celtic player that night in Italy against Atalanta; I thought he really put his chest out in the absence of Cameron Carter-Vickers.
“I thought he was absolutely outstanding against big Sesko, who is really highly rated; I know Bayern Munich are monitoring the situation. That’s how highly-rated he is, he was the out ball in terms of his size.
“At times, Celtic were pressing so high and Trusty was winning headers he didn’t have the right (to win), also, it’s the pace of the backline with Carter-Vickers, Trusty, Alistair Johnston, Greg Taylor can shift, they now have, it feels like all the pieces fit in.
“Over the last few years, we’ve gone on about it in terms of the recruitment, going that extra yard. Celtic went the extra yard this summer, and I think they’ve got the rewards.”
Auston Trusty sums up Celtic’s bold recruitment
As opposed to previous years, Celtic opened the chequebook in the summer, bringing in several players for sizeable fees to give themselves a better chance of competing against Europe’s best.
Trusty cost the Bhoys £6 million and admittedly took a while to settle into life at the club, but supporters are now seeing exactly why he warranted his price tag in the cold light of day.
Bringing power, aggression and speed to the table, the United States international has added another imposing layer to this Celtic side, who have shown this season that their qualities don’t just extend to elegance on the ball.
Hopefully, the Bhoys can continue to spend big money where needed to make themselves a force to be reckoned with on the continent. So far, their recruitment appears to be doing the trick.
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