2 days ago
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Daizen Maeda was Celtic's standout performer again as the Hoops returned to winning ways against Hearts to move closer to another Scottish Premiership title.
Brendan Rodgers was keen for Celtic to make amends for their Old Firm defeat and Maeda sent them on their way early on when he fired low into the bottom corner.
Shortly after, Jota was waiting to slam home the rebound after the Japan international's header crashed off the post as Celtic stamped their authority on the game.
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They were rampant and Maeda made it 30 goals this season he as converted from Nicolas Kuhn's well-timed cross to put them out of reach before half-time.
Neil Critchley's Hearts struggled against the champions who had chances to extend their lead, but they remain sixth with two games to play before the Scottish Premiership split.
Magical Maeda
Celtic are keen to offer Maeda a new deal and he showed exactly why the club want to hold onto him as he scored for the eighth league game in succession.
Hearts had made a lively start and Viljami Sinisalo made a point-blank stop from Lewis Neilson following a corner as the Finnish goalkeeper made his league debut in place of the injured Kasper Schmeichel.
Much of the early play was in the Celtic half but a penetrating move saw the hosts go from back to front in devastating fashion. Jeffrey Schlupp's first-time pass allowed Callum McGregor to drive beyond the Hearts midfield and play the ball in behind Neilson for Maeda to run onto. The centre-forward delivered an assured right-footed finish into the bottom corner.
Hearts continued to push men forward and Michael Steinwender fired not far over from 25 yards before Maeda was again involved as Celtic doubled their lead in the 24th minute.
Maeda ran on to Nicolas Kuhn's deft pass over the top and sent a backwards header off the post before Jota raced in to slam home the rebound.
Schlupp forced a save from Craig Gordon after a solo run before James Wilson missed Hearts' best chance when he sent a free header wide from six yards following a perfect cross from James Penrice.
Celtic again sliced through Hearts with a series of forward passes as they wrapped up the three points in the 41st minute.
Centre-back Maik Nawrocki started the move and Reo Hatate stretched to send the ball through for Kuhn to race down the right wing. The German winger delivered Maeda's 30th goal of the season on a plate with a perfect low cross to the far post, where Celtic's top goalscorer's pace had taken him.
Jota and Hatate threatened before the break and Hearts head coach Neil Critchley seemingly opted for damage limitation at half-time, removing new Scotland forward Wilson and bringing on defensive midfielder Calem Nieuwenhof.
McGregor forced a diving stop from former team-mate Gordon but the second half was otherwise something of a non-event, although Rodgers got Paulo Bernardo and James Forrest back into action after lay-offs.
Rodgers: 'We expect him to score!'
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Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers told Sky Sports News how important Maeda is for Celtic:
"If you look at his record over the course of the season, once he's in there, we expect him to score.
"He's been a real pivotal player for us wherever he's played. And I've said many times he can play in that central position, his penetration in behind, his set-up play in the main was good.
"This is a guy who's travelled halfway around the world to play [after Japan duty] so I'm really pleased with the performance overall.
"[His contract] is something with the club. I think the club will speak to his representatives and we'll do everything we can, but my concentration is on the team and the football.
"He's a top player. He's still contracted well to the club, but he's one of our best players so we want to give him that value."
Critchley takes 'great heart' from performance
Hearts head coach Neil Critchely told Sky Sports News he remains confident of a top-six finish:
"I take great heart from the way the players played the game today.
"We've got to get better at how we're trying to play for longer, and doing that against top opposition, and the only way you do that is to do it on the pitch.
"The players have done that, and the principles of how we play the game, I always want them to be how they were in the first half, and next week, that's how we'll go and attack the game again.
"With the other results going the way they've gone today, it's not been too damaging for us, so we just have to move on from this game."
