Celtic-Hibs reaction: nine penalties millennium most; time up for Turnbull?; Easter Road side’s run third worst

Celtic returned to commanding form with their emphatic 4-1 home victory over a Hibs side who still managed to show up in flashes.

Celtic's Luis Palma penalty had significance beyond its impact on his side's 4-1 win over Hibs. (Photo by Craig Foy / SNS Group)

Another penalty for the Scottish champions provided one of the intriguing takeaways as Andrew Smith delves into three of these.

Nine penalties millennium most

Celtic’s latest spot-kick, successfully converted by Luis Palma, means they now have been awarded nine in the Premiership this season, four of these coming in their past three home games alone. The headline figure would appear to place them into uncharted territory for this millennium. According to the information available on statistical site Transfermarkt, not in the past 23 years have they ever been awarded so many penalties across the first 16 league games of a campaign.

Indeed, the nine tally outstrips their season total from all but three championship terms across that period - with 11 penalties in 2016-17, 13 in 2010-11 and 12 in 2003-04. But only in 2003, when they moved on to nine penalties come their 18th league game, have they come close to receiving penalties at the rate that they are coming their way in this VAR age.

Time up for Turnbull?

Perhaps it was mere coincidence David Turnbull didn’t feature last night following speculation earlier in the day that he could be a January transfer target for Leeds United. Even if this was the first game in five weeks to pass without the player earning any minutes. It would seem there could be something more at work, though. And beyond the 24-year-old’s opportunities being further squeezed through the move to play Callum McGregor alongside Matt O’Riley in the two advanced midfield positions in the Celtic set-up Turnbull would be an option for.

Brendan Rodgers said last week he wouldn’t “lose any sleep” over the midfielder’s apparent unwillingness to sign a new contract as he enters the final six months of his current deal. In his pre-match conference the other day, he brutally stated that Paolo Bernardo had been selected ahead of Turnbull for Champions League games because in the domain there is a need for players who can run. It is difficult to see anything other than a parting between the 24-year-old and the club he joined from Motherwell in a £3.25m deal in 2020, and possibly within a matter of weeks.

Easter Road side’s run third worst

There was much to recommend about Nick Montgomery’s side even as they suffered a heavy loss in Glasgow’s east end. They stayed true to their building from the back principles, and were smartly able to pass their way through Celtic’s lines on occasion. However, none of that allows Hibs to escape a grim fact. It is now almost 14 years since they claimed a victory at Celtic Park. Of the 11 current top flight teams, eight of them have won at the arena since then.