I watched Celtic vs Motherwell and spotted next Parkhead manager contender amid Steve Clarke scouting mission

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Benjamin Arthur missed first half chances to put the hosts ahead before Elijah Just handed the visitors a lead. Yang Hyun-jun levelled the engrossing affair up before half-time as the game whizzed from end to end, tension rising the longer it stayed level. VAR was called upon for an Emmanuel Longelo challenge on Daizen Maeda and referee John Beaton brandished red after further inspection on the penalty-box challenge.

Motherwell’s left-back was sent packing and substitute Tomas Cvancara converted from the spot. Yang made it a double for the day soon after as second-placed Celtic sealed a vital win that sees them eight points clear of Motherwell in fourth, and Rangers are four points off behind them ahead of their battle at St Mirren on Sunday. Crucially, Hearts’ loss at Kilmarnock means the gap to the top is now just two points. Here are some of the key talking points from the game.

Title race myth debunked

There can be arguments made on how they’re doing it, but that matters little. In typical Martin O’Neill fashion, Celtic are managing to win. The Parkhead boss won’t care a bit that the visitors dictated play for the first hour - he’ll care about pouncing on Motherwell errors, and making them pay in brutal fashion. A narrative of possibly not being able to maintain less than scintillating displays and keeping pace with Rangers and Hearts has built up, but this game perhaps puts that to bed. They played an impressive Motherwell side nearing their A-Game, rode it out, and claimed three huge points. The summit is now in sight as momentum begins to build.

Motherwell have been a remarkable story this season and have flipped several Scottish football tropes on their heads, but this game looks to have ended any title aspirations. Ten points behind with nine to play was a lot to ask and this defeat, within reasonable expectation, puts the tin lid on a fairytale to end them all. They probably needed to click a couple weeks earlier to get into a position where they weren’t needing to run the table against top six opposition. Next week’s home game with Hibs is huge for getting back to winning ways, and putting the fifth-placed side nine points back by the international break. Celtic are almost three matches ahead of them in second and that looks a tall order, but this team aren’t for counting out in terms of taking points off title contenders, especially at Fir Park.

Jens-ball

Many have talked up Askou as a possible next Celtic manager contender and this handed home fans a close-up glimpse of the impressive Dane. There was obviously a hope that they wouldn’t see the best of his Motherwell side with three points so crucial to their own hopes in the here and now. From the off this was a great watch but Motherwell were dictating the play, reducing the champions to playing counter-attacking football at home, against a side with a slither of their budget.

How Celtic conceded the opener, Reo Hatate unable to play with his back to goal which Motherwell jumped all over when dispossessing him, is exactly what Calum Ward, Elliot Watt and Stephen O’Donnell had been doing all first half at the other end. Granted, Motherwell would soon play themselves into bother but it did not deter them, going straight back to what had worked for almost all of the game. A man down? The exact same way of playing.

They ended up losing this by a comfortable margin but the first hour proved exactly why Askou will likely be a man in demand come this summer, and could suit his opposition through a possession-heavy style that puts an emphasis on control. Celtic have been linked with Just too and outside his goal, he was a magician at work, taking some amount of punishment. His technical play is outstanding and the New Zealand international has the makings of a player of the year candidate. You can see why such rumours have emerged.

Winter transfer...positives?

Winter recruitment has been fully under the microscope this season at Parkhead and again there were grounds for it here. Arthur and Oxlade-Chamberlain were in the starting XI, but probably due to a suspension for regular centre-back pick Auston Trusty, and injury to captain Callum McGregor. Julian Araujo was absent from this but has on the whole been a reliable deputy for Alistair Johnston. Junior Adamu and Joel Mvuka were nowhere to be seen.

There are obvious negatives in Adamu and Mvuka, who look more and more like deadline-day punts gone wrong. However, in the case of Cvancara who scored again here, he’s netted a winning penalty at Ibrox and provided Celtic more impetus as a focal point. Arthur also looks like a commanding centre-back with all the modern traits needed to be a powerhouse. They might have got a couple wrong but even if a few come good, will that make all the difference? Whether it’s by design or not, in a season all about the short-term, Araujo, Arthur and Cvancara looked to have lifted levels in this Celtic team.

Steve Clarke scouting mission

One interesting attendee at the match was Scotland head coach Steve Clarke. He is due to name his squad for friendlies against Japan and Ivory Coast on Monday as the boss looks at options for his World Cup crop in the summer. It’s the last chance he’ll get to tinker with possible wildcards and there are a few players he might have been casting his eye on.

Kieran Tierney’s performance amid a recent foot injury was likely one thing he took note of while O’Donnell shone at centre-back, a former regular of Clarke’s, who has selection decisions at right-back to consider. In terms of uncapped stars, Elliot Watt was pivotal to Motherwell controlling large chunks of possession for the first hour and won the ball off Hatate for their opener, as his impressive season continues.

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