Benjamin Arthur put in a sterling man of the match performance after getting the shock call to start against Aberdeen after Dane Murray’s last-minute injury.
Stepping into the Hoops’ starting XI ten minutes before kick-off at Pittodrie is the ultimate test of character, and Benjamin Arthur didn’t just survive his surprise Celtic debut, he walked away with the Man of the Match award.
And when asked about when he found out and how quickly he had to switch on, Arthur’s ‘mentally prepared for anything‘ reply is just what Celtic fans need for this big title run in.
What did you make of Benjamin Arthur’s performance?
Give your rating, and your reason behind it in the comments section!
- READ MORE: Celtic hero Daizen Maeda will be buzzing as IFAB agree to trial Arsene Wenger’s new offside rule
Benjamin Arthur ‘mentally prepared for anything’ after late Celtic call
The young defender has been in the wilderness since Arthur made his big Celtic loan move, and after his brilliant Aberdeen performance, the on-loan Brentford man was buzzing.
Arthur told Sky Sports, “Yeah, I wasn’t expecting a start, but soon as I found out I was starting, just switched on going 90 minutes. Got a win, that’s all that matters.
“I mean, I was just warming up, and I was on the bench and stuff, and then Dane came down straight away, and just like that, so that’s how quickly, football can change.
“I mean, you never know what’s gonna happen out there on the pitch, so you’ve got to be mentally prepared for anything.
“And I felt like I was that today and the performance, hopefully, showed that as well.”
Why Benjamin Arthur has Celtic title fight
It’s not easy being a Celtic player at the best of times, but joining the club as a young talent, on loan, and in the midst of a three-way title fight is next-level.
| Position | Team | Played MP | Won W | Drawn D | Lost L | For GF | Against GA | Diff GD | Points Pts |
| 1 |  Heart Of MidlothianHeart Of Midlothian | 29 | 19 | 6 | 4 | 52 | 24 | 28 | 63 |
| 2 |  CelticCeltic | 29 | 18 | 4 | 7 | 53 | 31 | 22 | 58 |
| 3 |  RangersRangers | 29 | 15 | 12 | 2 | 51 | 25 | 26 | 57 |
| 4 |  MotherwellMotherwell | 28 | 14 | 11 | 3 | 47 | 18 | 29 | 53 |
Celtic cannot afford to drop any more points and every player needs to be at their best. For Arthur to be thrown in at Pittodrie with just minutes until kick-off and put in that kind of performance, shows steel from the young defender.
Arthur’s first words as a Celtic player hinted that he was a strong player mentally and physically as he said, “We have a lot of challenges ahead and I am ready for them and ready to do all I can to help the club achieve all it can.”
And boy, didn’t he just deliver!
Receive a digest of our best Celtic content each week direct to your mailbox
