What a day yesterday was for Celtic, the fans and the players. Just when it looked like Brendan Rodgers was facing another two dropped points, up popped Matt O’Riley with a dramatic late, late winner.
That is the kind of result that creates champions and it’s also the kind of goal that creates legends. And BBC pundit, Leeanne Crichton, certainly seems to think that O’Riley is heading that way.
Matt O’Riley is just as good as Callum McGregor
Speaking after the final whistle after Celtic took all three points from Fir Park, Crichton was raving about O’Riley and compared him to the legendary Celtic captain, Callum McGregor.
Crichton said [BBC Sportsound], “You can see that in the way that it plays, he’s Mr Reliable. He’s almost looking now like he’s cut from the cloth as Callum McGregor.
“You know what you see is what you get. The performances week in, week out are very similar never.
“Never does he really falter or fall away from that solid seven out of ten. We know Brendan Rodgers spoke about him at the start of the season about adding goals to his game and absolutely he’s managed to do that.”
Matt O’Riley is pivotal for Celtic’s push for the title
The Danish u21 international is already making a huge impression on the Celtic fans this season. His performances for the team have been taken to another level by Brendan Rodgers.
The supporters always knew O’Riley is a huge player for the club. Under Ange Postecoglou the 22-year-old was excellent in helping win a double in the Aussie’s first season and then the Treble last year.
But under Rodgers, he has kicked on. O’Riley has already surpassed his goal tally from last season but we are also seeing from him is that urgency to get forward and do the dirty defensive work as well.
It’s no wonder two international sides are falling over themselves to cap him. He’s a quality player.
O’Riley put pen to paper on a new deal over the weekend after Celtic moved quickly to stave off transfer interest from clubs in England and Europe. And he’s already starting to pay off that investment.
The £10m bid that was placed for him by Leeds United on Transfer Deadline Day looks a bit silly now. Because after what we have seen from O’Riley this season, clubs are going to have to dig really deep if they have any notion of trying to tempt Celtic to part with their midfield maestro.
In other news, Brendan Rodgers facing huge decision over £1m Celtic player’s future in January