Celtic vs Kilmarnock: Scales Winner Keeps Hoops Four Points Clear
Liam Scales scored the only goal as Celtic beat bottom-of-the-table Kilmarnock 1-0 at Celtic Park on Sunday, November 8.
Liam Scales scored the only goal as Celtic beat bottom-of-the-table Kilmarnock 1-0 at Celtic Park on Sunday, November 8. The win restored the Scottish Premiership leaders' four-point advantage going into the international break.
How the match unfolded
Scales struck in the 26th minute, hooking a Camilo Durán cross into the top corner. It arrived after Kasper Høgh had a goal ruled out for an infringement earlier in the same move.
Kilmarnock threatened before that. Tom Lowery forced Celtic goalkeeper Sam Johnstone into a double save. The visitors came close shortly after a Remembrance Sunday silence was cut short by boos from the stands.
Celtic could not add to their lead. Benjamin Nygren missed a second-half penalty, and the afternoon stayed tight to the finish.
Heroes and frustrations
Scales and Durán carried the decisive moment, with Johnstone's double save keeping the game level before it. Høgh had the toughest day in front of goal. His disallowed effort extended his run without a goal to 16 games, and he last scored in a hat-trick against Kilmarnock.
Nygren's penalty miss left Celtic relying on that single first-half strike. It was the second consecutive league win for the champions.
The numbers behind the result
The record between the clubs leans heavily one way. Kilmarnock have not won in 22 visits to Celtic in all competitions, drawing four and losing 18 since a 2-0 league win in October 2012.
Celtic have won their last eight league meetings with Kilmarnock. They last won more in a row in April 2007, when the run reached 16.
At home, Celtic have lost only one of their last 11 league games, winning nine and drawing one. The defeat was 1-0 against Rangers in September.
Celtic have taken seven points from losing positions this season, more than any other Premiership side. Kilmarnock have dropped seven points from winning positions, the most in the league.
Kilmarnock's nine points after 12 games is their lowest at that stage since 2017-18, when they had eight.
