Brendan Rodgers claimed Celtic are getting back to their best after they moved into second place in the Ladbrokes Premiership with a frenetic 4-2 win over Hibs at Parkhead.
First-half goals from midfielders Tom Rogic and Olivier Ntcham gave the Hoops the interval lead, and Hibs striker Florian Kamberi reduced the deficit in the 63rd minute only for French striker Odsonne Edouard to restore the two-goal advantage six minutes later.
Speedy wide-man Martin Boyle then made it 3-2 in the 73rd minute but Edouard’s second goal in the 87th minute kept Celtic three points behind leaders Hearts, who beat Aberdeen 2-1 at Tynecastle.
Rodgers, who admitted there is a question mark over injured skipper Scott Brown for the Europa League clash with RB Leipzig in Germany on Thursday – Leigh Griffiths is also a doubt – said: “It was a fantastic game, two teams who wanted to win the game.
“I thought we were outstanding today. We have seen the development of the team.
“I think in the summer, as I mentioned before, we stood still as a club when we should have gone into another gear.
“We didn’t do that and obviously now we are starting to move again and starting to play with that quality and at that level I know we can play at.
“We scored four goals, hit the woodwork four times and had other opportunities.
“We won the game and we entertained the people today. There probably has not been enough times when we have done that.
“In the first couple of years we were winning well and winning with real style and I think we did that today.”
Brown had just returned from a hamstring injury but limped off in the 21st minute to be replaced by Scott Sinclair.
Rodgers said: “We won’t know for the next couple of days. He wanted to play on but he wasn’t going to do the team or himself any favours, he was struggling to get about the pitch.
“He thought it was maybe his calf but it is maybe his knee. He is a warrior and he will do everything he can to be there but we will have to wait and see
Griffiths missed the match with illness and the Northern Irishman said: “He got injured (at training) and then got ill. I’m hoping the combination of both could be cleared up for some time next week. We just need to wait and see.”
Ex-Celtic boss Neil Lennon refused to discuss what appeared to be some rancour between both benches but hit out at referee Don Robertson.
He said: “I was pleased with what I saw in the second half but over a 38-game season it is very difficult to maintain that consistency especially against the quality that we faced today.
“And when you are playing against 12 men as well it very difficult.
“I thought the referee was abysmal.
“How (Filip) Benkovic doesn’t get a yellow card and (Darren) McGregor does is beyond me.
“He has taken (Emerson) Hyndman completely out of the game, we get a free-kick at the edge of the box, no yellow card. The Benkovic is borderline red for me, never mind a yellow and he gets nothing.
“He just took Hyndman completely out, he knew what he was doing, there was no intent to get the ball.
“It baffles me why that is not a yellow card. I am not here to get players sent off. I am just looking for the referee to do his job properly.”
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