Celtic 3-0 Motherwell: Lennon’s side bounce back from Champions League exit

James Forrest’s first goal of the season set Celtic on the way to victory

Celtic bounced back from their midweek Champions League exit with a Scottish Premiership victory over belligerent Motherwell.

James Forrest’s first goal of the season put the champions in front despite a frustrating first half.

Albian Ajeti came on to score for the second time this season and Christopher Jullien secured the win.

Victory moves Celtic six points behind leaders Rangers, having played two fewer games.

Another defeat means Motherwell are the only Premiership side without a win this season, and they prop up the table as a result.

Despite suggesting some of his players’ focus lay elsewhere after Wednesday’s Champions League exit against Ferencvaros, manager Neil Lennon picked the same side.

That meant Ryan Christie as the centre-forward in the absence of the injured Odsonne Edouard, with two more natural strikers in Ajeti and Patryk Klimala on the bench, with Lennon repeating pre-match that he does not consider either of them fit enough to start.

The decision yielded the same frustrating results as Celtic failed to register a single shot on target until the 39th minute, when Forrest arrowed the ball beyond Trevor Carson after Callum McGregor’s superb run from his own half.

Klimala was introduced for Mohamed Elyounoussi at half-time and had a golden chance to make the desired impact, but he could not adjust his feet in time to tap home Greg Taylor’s ball across the six-yard box.

The Polish striker later passed up another opportunity to make it 3-0 as he was denied by Carson once clean through.

Ajeti, despite having less time to make an impact, finished ruthlessly when presented with space in the box, as he controlled Kristoffer Ajer’s pass before firing into the corner.

The game became stretched in the closing stages and Motherwell conceded a third when centre-back Jullien found space in the box and slid in a composed finish.

Man of the match – Callum McGregor

Even when Celtic were struggling in the first half, McGregor was the one who looked likely to create, and his surging run from his own half set up Forrest’s opener

What did we learn?

Whether it was to prove a point, or to allow the same players to redeem themselves, Lennon’s decision to pick the same team raised eyebrows, and the opening 39 minutes will not have done much to convince it was the right call.

Playing as the notional centre-forward, Christie was easily marshalled by Motherwell’s impressive back three, and the fact he registered the most crosses in the first half is evidence that Celtic lacked a focal point in attack again.

Despite his poor finishing, Klimala did make an impact with his movement, and Ajeti’s finish – his second goal from the bench this season – suggests he will play a major part once up to full fitness.

Jeremie Frimpong’s impact off the bench was impressive, as it was on Wednesday, and also served to question his absence from the starting team.

Motherwell can be pleased with their defensive work for large periods, but as has been the case this season, lapses in concentration cost them.

The second and third goals came as manager Stephen Robinson had replaced centre-back Rickie Lamie with striker Jordan White in order to chase the game, but the first came from Stephen O’Donnell’s slack pass. It undid all the good work of the first half, and left them with a difficult task.

What they said

Celtic manager Neil Lennon: “First-half was a little bit lukewarm. I didn’t think we had the tempo I like the team to play at, but it was a great first goal. We wanted a little bit more zest in the second half and we got that.”

Motherwell manager Stephen Robinson:

What’s next?

After the international break Celtic travel to Dingwall to play Ross County, while Motherwell will try to get their first league win against St Johnstone at Fir Park.