What the Celtic pundits said as Mooy and Maeda earn unanimous ovation for Hibs thrashing

Celtic further underlined their title credentials with an emphatic victory at Easter Road – with midfielder Aaron Mooy stealing the show.

Fresh from helping Australia reach the knockout stages of the World Cup in Qatar, the 32-year-old was deployed in central midfield for Wednesday’s clash with Lee Johnson’s side, whilst Reo Hatate continued his impressive stint at right-back. And it wasn’t long before Mooy had his first goal for the Hoops as he slammed home the opener from close-range before adding a second from the penalty spot in the second-half.

Since arriving at Parkhead last summer, Mooy hasn’t always been an automatic first choice under Ange Postecoglou but his display tonight had pundits raving ahead of Monday’s mouthwatering showdown with Rangers at Ibrox. On Sky, Stiliyan Petrov and James McFadden sang Mooy’s praises highly after he bided his time to get into the team amid the superb form of Reo Hatate, Callum McGregor and Matt O’Riley.

Petrov said: “He controls the tempo, he controls the team – Aaron Mooy tonight, he was outstanding. He was getting into the right spaces, moving into the right position, and he was carrying the ball as well. He also got involved in a difficult situation. He came to a club where McGregor was really good and O’Riley and Hatate had started to play, so it was difficult to get a couple of games behind his belt. He did so last game, and he looked unhappy. Imagine he scored three goals tonight!”

McFadden agreed with his sentiments, stating: “His performance overall was really good. His intelligence – the look over his shoulder there for his first, he gambles and decides not to run into traffic, it’s a brilliant move as the ball takes time to come down but he gets over it and hits it into the ground.

“He’s had to wait his turn, then had a great World Cup, and when the team was named we thought he would be deep-lying but he’s in a team where he can affect the game and get goals.”

Mooy wasn’t the only one to earn plaudits; for all of his hard work, you could sense that Hibs had an extremely tough time handling Daizen Maeda on the left-hand side. A goal, an assist and a key role in the winning of the penalty meant that he ran Mooy close for the Man of the Match award, but he wasn’t forgotten by Petrov and Kris Boyd as they waxed lyrical about the Japan international.

Petrov told Sky: “He manages to get in there, and this is where he can make a difference. That’s where he will take you to the next level, making sure you put that ball in. This [his headed miss] is another one, he’s obviously tried to hit it under the bar but he couldn’t. He’s around there, he’s getting chances, and that is what you want.

“This (the goal) is the one. He doesn’t hesitate. This is what you are looking for – he wants that goal. The next thing he is saying is: “I want to see the goal. This is a perfect finish.”

Boyd agreed with his former rival, alluding to Maeda developing his game as a key reason for his performance. He said: “The one before it, Stan [Petrov], when he crosses it in for Mooy’s first – he stops and drags it down the left. Maybe they’re expecting a pass, but when you vary your game especially out wide, if you stop it and drag it, you’re going to win the race.

“If you put a cross in the next time, then you can do that fake where you step in so that you can get your shot in on your right foot as well.”

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