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Brendan Rodgers notes Celtic moment to sum up St Johnstone thrashing outside of goals

Brendan Rodgers
-Credit: (Image: Premier Sports)


Brendan Rodgers noted Daizen Maeda's incredible workrate even at 6-0 up as his favourite Celtic moment from their hammering of St Johnstone.

The Hoops swept their opponents away at McDiarmid Park thanks to goals from Kyogo, Paulo Bernardo, Callum McGregor, Maeda and Adam Idah on what was the perfect set-up to their coming Champions League clash with Borussia Dortmund this week. For Rodgers it was different class in front of goal but the Northern Irishman praised the Japanese attacker in particular for encapsulating his team's dominance late on.

The 26-year-old chased back with just a few minutes left on the clock and with his side already streets ahead to win the ball back and that, for Rodgers, was the highlight as it meant everything about his mantra.

READ MORE: 7 Celtic standouts vs St Johnstone as Kyogo puts on show in attacking blitz

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"I thought we were excellent. From the first whistle we saw the mentality in the team. The players couldn’t have done any more. They were all really good goals in their own right," he told Sportsound at full-time.

“My big thing in making this team different is the attitude in our counter-pressing and our hunger. That was typified no more by Daizen Maeda in the 86th minute getting back in and winning the ball back from their striker. When you have that in your team, along with the talent and organisation, then it gives you a big chance. There were many big moments in the game but that was a real favourite of mine.

“It’s a special gift that he has. He’s such a catalyst for everyone else. Our clean sheet record, our mentality, it all starts from the front. Everyone has to do it. Players like him are so important within that. He’s getting his reward for all that work by scoring consistently.”