St Johnstone 1-3 Celtic: Scottish Premiership leaders put European disappointment behind them as Brendan Rodgers’ side recover from poor first-half to take victory

• Celtic were miles off the pace in the first-half and fell behind at St Johnstone
• They took all three points after three goals in 26 second-half minutes on Sunday 
•  We expected perfection from VAR – we haven’t got it: Listen to It’s All Kicking Off

For all Celtic have evidently been lacking in the requisite quality at European level this season, it appears the chasing pack in Scotland will still need to roll a double-six to stand any chance of bloodying their nose.

Miles off the pace for 45 minutes in Perth, Brendan Rodgers’ fury at the manner in which Diallang Jaiyesemi handed St Johnstone an interval lead was entirely understandable.

Just when Craig Levein’s side were entertaining thoughts of become the first to take the champions’ scalp in the Premiership this season, they were served a reminder of why exactly such feats remain so rare.

Having been left in no doubt as to what their manager thought of their efforts, Celtic belatedly got the working clothes on.

Aided in no small part by the contributions of the bench of Mikey Johnston, Oh Hyeon-gyu and James Forrest, they eventually ground their opponents down.

Celtic recovered from a poor first-half performance to take a 3-1 victory against St Johnstone

St Johnstone took a shock lead against Celtic who were coming off a disappointing display mid-week against Lazio

Callum McGregor (right) though got the ball rolling on a second-half comeback for Celtic

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Callum McGregor’s first goal since May was simply stunning. From that moment on, it felt likes the Perth men were clinging on for dear life.

When Matt O’Riley found the top corner with 11 minutes remaining, Celtic were on course for a 28th game unbeaten against the men from McDiarmid Park.

For all James Forrest’s clincher came after Jay Turner-Cooke struck the upright with a header, it would be wrong to suggest that Celtic were not eventually deserving of the three points.

Masters of the sideways pass in the first period, they seemed intent on making life hard for themselves.

For all that, Kyogo Furuhashi might well have edged the visitors in front inside a minute. Having been fed by Luis Palma, the Japanese just could not keep his shot down.

Yang Hyun-jun then followed the example set by his fellow winger with a measured cross to O’Riley. The midfielder didn’t get enough purchase on his strike to trouble Dimitar Mitov.

Suspended for Rome, Palma troubled Saints with his speed and pace. Ghosting in from the right, he looked set to bear down on goal until Dan Phillips clipped his ankles. Palma’s attempt to convert the free-kick was dismal, though.

Saints were compact but still capable of troubling Celtic on the break. Jaiyesimi, their sole striker, did well to fashion a chance out of nothing but saw the sting taken out of his strike by Liam Scales.

Matt O’Riley put Celtic ahead after 79 minutes in what was a hard-fought away trip 

Celtic did have the ball in the net midway through the first-half but VAR’s confirmation of a clear offside was rather superfluous.

A smart exchange between Yang and Alistair Johnston led to the winger crossing and David Turnbull thumping the ball home. The midfielder was already aware that his supplier had received the ball well ahead of Saints’ rearguard.

As Celtic continued to threaten, albeit unconvincingly, Turnbull sent one effort narrowly wide then saw Mitov scramble and throw up an arm to prevent his curling strike nestling in the top corner.

Palma also found Scales with a deep corner. The Irishman couldn’t find the target with his right-foot volley.

Starved of service, Furuhashi bobbed and weaved on the edge of the box to create half a chance. Liam Gordon stood his ground to prevent his keeper being called into action.

While Saints’ opener did happen against the run of play, their discipline to that point had been admirable.

What a shambles it was from Celtic’s perspective. Graham Carey’s in-swinging corner was crying out for a decisive header or a goalkeeper’s first.

Instead, with Joe Hart pinned by Greg Taylor, and no one in green and white commanding, the ball bobbled about the six-yard box.

James Forrest added a third in stoppage time to open up an 11-point gap before Rangers’ game

Hart had a swing and a miss before O’Riley tried to chop the ball clear. It ricocheted kindly off Jaiyesimi and trundled over the line.

Rodgers later described the concession as ‘soft’ and that was being kind. In that sense, it summed up Celtic’s efforts up until that point.

Having been caught offside four times in the first half, the replacement of Yang with Mikey Johnston at the break came as absolutely no surprise.

There was greater tempo and urgency to Rodgers side after the break. Truthfully, that would not have been difficult. Initially, Moments of real quality still proved hard to come by.

McGregor did provide one with a disguised pass that took out the entire Saints’ back-line. Mitov did exceptionally well to advance from his line and prevent Furuhashi’s strike beating him.

The introduction of Oh for Turnbull before the hour spoke to Celtic’s growing desperation.

Palma did well to float a ball across the top. O’Riley stretched to meet it but Mitov guided it round the post.

It had long become a game of attack against defence. Arriving on 67 minutes, the equaliser owed everything to Celtic’s sheer force of will.

Oh’s tenacity saw him chase a lost cause and keep the ball in play with a cute back heel. Mitov pushed the ball into the air with James Brown heading it towards the edge of the box.

Brendan Rodgers was disappointed with his side’s first-half display on Sunday afternoon

McGregor could not have caught it cleaner with his left foot. This time, Mitov had no answer as it arrowed into the bottom corner.

Having scored his first goal of the season, the skipper hunted down number two but he couldn’t repeat that accuracy from a similar distance.

Saints will regret the fact that they were undone for a second time while chasing a second goal.

Alistair Johnston carried the ball up the right and fed his namesake Mikey. A deft touch by the Ireland winger played in Furuhashi who in turn found O’Riley.

A steadying touch from the Danish international preceded a sumptuous right-foot strike which flew high into the net. It capped a quite magnificent move.

Forrest and Furuhashi could have finished it, but Saints kept breathing. Only the width of the post prevented substitute Turner-Cooke squaring the game with a header. In a flash, Celtic took the game away from them.

Fresh off the bench, Tomoki Iwata won a loose ball and bounded forward. His cross was timed to perfection. Forrest took one touch and finished with the outside of his foot.

Although Celtic were nowhere near the best for long periods, it was a victory they eventually merited.

IT’S ALL KICKING OFF! 

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