Celtic player proves doubters wrong vs Kilmarnock

Things never stand still at Celtic. The objective is to win every game and one or two bad performances are enough to bring even the best of players under the microscope. The Hoops are on a great run in the league at the moment, but they have struggled to get results in Europe once again.

In midweek, they lost 2-1 to Lazio despite putting in a good performance and being the better of the two teams for the majority of the game. And one player who was heavily criticised for his display on the day was Reo Hatate.

Many even called for the Japanese midfielder to be dropped from the starting XI after the game. Now admittedly, Hatate has not been at his best this season till now. But one cannot forget what he has produced for the club in the past.

There is a new manager in place in Brendan Rodgers and he has been dealing with fitness issues as well. Thus, it is only natural for Hatate to take some time to produce his best once again. And we saw a glimpse of him at his peak against Kilmarnock.

Celtic player proves doubters wrong vs Kilmarnock

Hatate answered the critics by putting in a midfielder masterclass against Kilmarnock. He scored the opener by nutmegging an opposition player before gliding past several defenders and calmly finding the back of the net.

It was a strike that should be a contender for the goal of the season. It was absolutely fantastic and showed a level of technical ability that we rarely see in the Scottish Premiership.

Hatate’s overall play on the day was excellent as well. He even got himself an assist, for Luis Palma’s goal, but a large part of the credit for that strike belongs to the Honduran international, who scored from a long distance away.