As Celtic take stock at the international break Chris Sutton has highlighted the contribution of Matt O’Riley to that achievement.
The midfielder has made a very visible impact under Brendan Rodgers while some of his team-mates struggle to make an impact under their new boss.
O’Riley scored in Celtic’s first two matches, toiled with others against St Johnstone then starred at Ibrox last week topped off by a cushioned header that brilliantly set up Kyogo Furuhashi for the only goal of the game.
That goal and those three point transformed Celtic’s start to the season and gives Rodgers a strong platform to build on while chaos reigns across the city.
O’Riley didn’t create many headlines on the back of his Ibrox display but writing in the Daily Record Sutton highlighted the contribution of the former MK Dons man:
I have to give special mention to Matt O’Riley for his performances in the opening month of the season. He has got everything in the fact he can score goals, he can make goals and he can also do a shift defensively to help the side.
Celtic could make more of his dead-ball delivery as they are not great at converting from corners and free-kicks, but that’s not always O’Riley’s fault. Team-mates and defenders up from the back have to attack the ball better.
Without a call up to the Danish squad this weekend O’Riley will return fresh and revived for next Saturday’s clash against Dundee followed by the Champions League opener away to Feyenoord.
Matt will have The Life of O’ Riley under Brendan !