As the build-up to the Kilmarnock game continues, the win over Rangers was still on the mind of Celtic defender, Alistair Johnston.
The Canadian was in great form before a shocking John Lundstram tackle ended his appearance in the crunch Glasgow Derby match.
But Johnston was full of praise for the player who replaced him and despite only grabbing just over 15 minutes of the match, he said his Celtic fullback was ‘unbelievable’.
Anthony Ralston hailed by Celtic teammate in win over Rangers
Celtic are lucky enough to have a squad that has talent in depth and when Johnston went off,Anthony Ralston replaced the popular Hoops defender.
And whilst Johnston praised all the subs for their part in the win, Ralston was namechecked as being ‘unbelievable’ for his role at Celtic Park.
Johnston said [Celtic TV], “I thought again, all the subs that came on did a really good job in terms of locking that up.
“Tony Ralston was unbelievable at right back when he came on for me to help close that out.
“And again, that’s what it comes down to with this team is that even if it’s not pretty, winning is what’s most important at this stage of the season, especially against them.
“It’s just about getting that result and getting things over the line. And the guys bought into that got the job done and that was the most important thing.”
Anthony Ralston’s performance vs Rangers
Despite only making a 16-minute appearance, Ralston made the most of the limited time he was given.
Rated 6.6 by Fotmob, when you look at the stats I would say that the football site has underrated the Celtic fullback’s cameo.
With just 23 touches, Ralston made 13 passes with 100% accuracy. The Celtic defender also had 100% cross-accuracy.
Defensively, Ralston once again proved his worth. With three clearances, four defensive actions and three ball recoveries, the Scotland fullback played his part in keeping Rangers at bay.
Competing in two duels, Ralston won both on the ground and in the air as asserted his defensive dominance on the Rangers attackers.
Ralston has proven to be a reliable defender for Celtic over the past few seasons and deserves a lot of credit for his performance in what was only his 17th appearance under Brendan Rodgers.