News about Daizen Maeda

Daizen Maeda is set to hand Celtic an injury boost during the title run in by making a shock return to action next week. The Japanese international's season looked over when he sustained a hamstring injury after the 3-3 draw against Rangers earlier this month. However, speaking at a question and answer event at Parkhead in midweek, manager Brendan Rodgers revealed that Maeda is making huge strides with his recovery.

Celtic stunned the audience at Ibrox when they took the lead after only 21 seconds thanks to Daizen Maeda's spectacular goal. The Japanese national charged down a failed clearance from James Tavernier and saw the ball cannon fly past a helpless Jack Butland in goal. In the final meeting of the Old Firm rivals, the home fans were left stunned, only by a point before kick-off.

Brendan Rodgers believes that the season's tale has already been written. Continued play for another ten games, and Celtic could also push for a late, decisive rewrite. A tough watch in recent weeks has established a belief among supporters that the champions are older and less clinical than they used to be. Last night, as the Magnificent Seven rang around Parkhead, laments for Angeball's demise were finally brought to a conclusion. A display of high-speed football was reminiscent of the Brodgeball of Northern Irelandman's first spell as administrator. And a Rangers victory in Kilmarnock didn't manage to polish the effect.

On nights like these, Celtic actually pulling on the gloves and entering the Champions League ring is impossible to comprehend. The end of this mismatch did not arrive a second too soon, as Pummelled mercilessly by one of the game's true heavyweights from the first bell. This was an occasion when talk of change seemed fanciful in the extreme, following three solid performances in the competition.

Celtic defeated St Mirren 2-1 cinch Premiership victory at Parkhead thanks to a late penalty by replacement Oh Hyeon-gyu. In the seventh minute, Saints attacker Conor McMenamin led the well-organised tourists to a surprise lead, but the Hoops responded as expected. David Turnbull, a return to action, levelled in the 18th minute with a spectacular kick before landing the post with a penalty just before the half-hour mark.

JOHN MCGARRY: The European Cup, which Jock Stein's players won in 1967, has been a challenge to those with a lifetime of dedication to Los Colchoneros. A finalist three times, but never a winner. Despite their untold wealth, the family is still no cigarro. As open goals for a home assist, they just don't get any more glaring. Well, your bunch of hatchetmen beat us in 1974, but you still couldn't get your hands on the big-eared boy we lifted in Lisbon seven years ago.

It's as simple as banning the number of their supporters in attendance if only stopping Celtic when they are in this kind of mood. Whether backed by the entire Roseburn Stand or just the 576 supporters who occupied a tiny sliver at the building on Sunday, there's almost certain inevitability in the case's outcome when Brendan Rodgers' players meet his exacting requirements. This was a victory that was every bit as secure as the scoreline indicates. This seemed to be a crucial day in his quest to ensure that his second spell starts in exactly the same way at the exact location where the Northern Irishman won his first title as Celtic boss in his first spell.

Pedro stole Celtic hearts with a last-gasp winner to seal all three points for Lazio at Celtic Park.

Feyenoord's excellent goalscoring results are expected to continue at home against Celtic on Thursday, with the Eridivisie outfit barely able to score in both halves. Contrast to the visitors, who are also selling in the same market, visitors are getting a much higher price of 7/2. Although the bookies' excitement in Feyenoord's recent form is largely due to the Dutch team's recent form, Celtic's multiple injuries at the back will also not help with the upset's chances. Brendan Rodgers' team is lean defensively, despite injuries to center-backs Stephen Welsh, Cameron Carter-Vickers, and Manik Nawrocki.

JOHN MCGARRY AT PITTODRIE: An early alarm call may not be to Alexandro Bernabei's liking. The rest of his Celtic coworkers are content to get up, wash their faces, and get their working heads off. This was a day when Brendan Rodgers' company overcame the fact that they had yet to engage top gear. For the chase pack, the greatest concern must be that scorelines such as these are going to be drawn up without so much toil if they do so.

Ange Postecoglou has been named as the Premier League's next manager. After leading Celtic to another domestic Treble last weekend, the Australian made it clear he wanted to leave and now he has signed a four-year contract in north London. Mail Sport's BRIAN MARJORIBANKS assesses some of the runners and riders who will face the Scottish champions, who is highly admired.

Celtic defeated Championship side Inverness Caledonian Thistle at Hampden in the Scottish Cup final, resulting in a world-record eighth treble. This was a fruitful - if not brilliant - conclusion to the season, with rumors swirling around Parkhead boss Ange Postecoglou about his potential move to fill the managerial hotspot at Tottenham.

GRAEME CROSER AT CELTIC PARK: The Premiership winners' celebrations began early as Celtic romped to a 5-0 finish at Celtic Park on a glorious afternoon for the champions. Kyogo Furuhashi got the party off to a blistering season by unleashing a surgical assault on Kelle Roos just inside the first half an hour. Just five minutes after, the Japan national netted in an audacious way to defeat Roos and snatch his second.

Celtic's form has been blamed entirely by Ange Postecoglou for Celtic's poor showing in the lead-up to the Scottish Cup Final. The champions' Premiership run in the Premiership has now won in five games after losing 4-2 at Easter Road last night. However, with just a home game with Aberdeen looming before the showdown with Inverness on June 3, Postecoglou says the man is to blame for the numerous changes he's made this week.

Ange Postecoglou's emotional anguish was battling to hold back tears as he talked to people who have sacrificed to help him advance his career after leading Celtic to their second Scottish Premiership title. For a second season, goals from Kyogo Furuhashi and Hyeong-gyu Oh defeated ten-man Hearts 2-0, retaining the SPFL Premiership for the second season; the club's 11th title victory in 12 years. The champions saw the league shrinkage to their nearest rivals, Rangers, needing just one win from their last five league games. Alex Cochrane, a red card for Hearts defender Alex Cochrane at the end of the first half, saw the champions turn through the gears to place the league outwith the reach of their nearest rivals Rangers.

Last night, an emotional Ange Postecoglou praised his tenacious Celtic side for giving him the world's best job. Kyogo Furuhashi and Hyeong-gyu Oh won by 2-0 over ten-man Hearts and kept the SPFL Premiership for a second season; the club's 11th title victory in 12 years. The champions moved through the gears to place the league outwith the reach of Rangers' nearest competitors, needing just one win from their last five league games a red card for Hearts defender Alex Cochrane at the end of the first half.

Celtic have progressed to a Scottish Cup final match against Inverness after defeating Rangers by a single goal in the Old Firm derby at Ibrox on Sunday thanks to Jota's first-half strike. Despite Rangers threatening to equalize on multiple occasions, Jota's 14th goal of the season across all competitions was enough for Ange Postecoglou's side to hold on.

Celtic took their second cinch Premiership title with a 4-1 victory over Kilmarnock at Rugby Park. They had four goals and missed a penalty inside the first 27 minutes. Celtic's double, as well as goals from Kyogo Furuhashi and Daizen Maeda, ensured Celtic will need only seven points from their last six matches to hold their crown. Kilmarnock's performance after manager Derek McInnes made a double change in the 31st minute, with Liam Donnelly's goal proving a consolation.

JOHN MCGARRY, DINGWALL: These are the days when Ange Postecoglou seems to have it so easy, as Celtic boss Just don't have water. With 95 minutes played at Dingwall, the visitors were limited to a contested VAR awarding penalty for their efforts. The Australian side was running the risk of an untimely losation in the third round, while the home straight is a way behind.

After Alexandro Bernabei escaped a red card in Celtic's 3-1 victory over Hearts, Robbie Neilson called VAR a "shambles." Referee Alan Muir for a late lunging challenge on Jambos full-back Nathaniel Atkinson in the 28th minute had the Argentine left-back saved a yellow card. Bernabe went unpunished after a report by VAR official Nick Walsh, as Neilson said nothing less than a 'decapitation' would have brought the charges against the Parkhead defender.

Celtic came from behind to defeat Hearts 3-1 on Wednesday night in a close match. Josh Ginnelly went home after just eight minutes, giving the lead to Daizen Maeda mid-way through the first half. Due to second-half goals from Kyogo Furuhashi and Sead Haksabanovic, the Bhoys gained the three points.

After winning by two goals over Rangers, Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou d his team's Japanese talent, Kyogo Furuhashi, as a "unbelievable young man." In the 2-2 draw at Ibrox last month, Furuhashi scored his first Old Firm goal in four attempts. Michael Beale's chances of preserving his unbeaten run as Rangers' manager effectively ended after the Japanese star's second goal in the 56th minute was postponed.

JOHN MCGARRY: Suggestions that the balance of power in Scottish football may have been tilted back toward Glasgow's south side seem to have been exaggerated. Despite Michael Beale's arguably improved Rangers since being in charge of the Viaplay Cup in November, they were still struggling to loosen Celtic's grip. Ange Postecoglou's side deservedly retained the first trophy the Australian won at Parkhead last season.

When Rangers' team faces rivals Celtic in the Scottish League Cup final, Michael Beale has a chance to win his first trophy. The Old Firm's match against Hampden Park on Sunday promises to be a tumultuous affair as the bitter rivals clash for the first silverware of the season. Beale has had a fruitful run so far, winning 12 games and drawing once in all competitions following his appointment in November.