Camilo Duran and Benjamin Nygren were on target as Celtic returned to the top of the Scottish Premiership with a convincing 2-0 victory over Motherwell at Fir Park.
The result ended Celtic’s run of three consecutive defeats and provided a timely confidence boost for Martin O’Neill’s side following a difficult spell before the international break.
Celtic made the perfect start when Duran fired a low effort into the net after nine minutes, giving the visitors an early advantage and putting them firmly in control of proceedings.
The champions continued to create opportunities but were unable to add to their lead before the interval, with Motherwell goalkeeper Alex Paulsen producing an impressive display to keep his side in the contest.
Celtic’s pressure eventually told after the break. Kasper Høgh helped set up Nygren, who scrambled home the second goal to give the visitors some breathing space.
The Hoops continued to threaten throughout the second half, with Paulsen making a string of excellent saves to prevent the scoreline from becoming more emphatic.
Motherwell offered little in response, with Seb Palmer-Houlden heading their clearest opportunity wide of the target.
Jota returns as Celtic find their rhythm
One of the afternoon’s most encouraging moments for Celtic supporters came with 15 minutes remaining, when Jota made his first appearance in almost 18 months.
The Portuguese winger’s introduction was greeted by a huge reception from the travelling support, offering a welcome boost as he begins his return from a lengthy injury absence.
The victory also marked the 250th win of O’Neill’s Celtic career, adding another milestone to the manager’s long association with the club.
There was further encouragement in midfield, where Mika Baur impressed after recently making his Germany debut. He came close to scoring, only to see a clever close-range flick strike the crossbar.
Although Celtic could have scored more, the three points were the priority after a difficult run of results.
Motherwell’s slide continues
For Motherwell manager Alfred Johansson, the defeat extended his side’s losing run to four matches and increased the pressure to find a response.
The hosts struggled to contain Celtic’s attacking threat, with Paulsen repeatedly called into action as the visitors registered 19 shots inside the Motherwell penalty area.
Motherwell showed occasional signs of life following the introduction of Ibrahim Said, but clear-cut opportunities remained limited.
The Steelmen have now conceded eight goals across their last three matches, underlining the defensive issues Johansson must address as they look to halt their slide down the table.
What it means
Celtic move back to the summit of the Scottish Premiership, opening up a two-point advantage over Rangers.
Motherwell remain ninth, three points clear of bottom side Kilmarnock, with their difficult run of form threatening to undo the positive work of the early season.
Celtic now turn their attention towards a demanding run of fixtures, including Europa League meetings with Benfica and Celta Vigo, either side of a league encounter with Hearts.
After three successive defeats, O’Neill’s side have delivered the response they needed. The challenge now is to build on it.
