Kilmarnock 1 Celtic 0: Youssouf Mulumbu stuns Hoops
GETTY Kilmarnock star Youssouf Mulumbu scored the winner against Celtic
Since pitching up at Rugby Park as manager Clarke is unbeaten in four games against the Old Firm, winning two, and just as they beat Rangers in December they followed that up with another deserved win. Mulumbu, who bossed the midfield, was Killie’s goalscoring hero as his strike with 20 minutes remaining consigned the Hoops to their first defeat at Rugby Park since February 2010. The former West Brom ace has been a revelation since teaming up with his former Hawthorns gaffer Clark at Killie, and a move back to the big-time surely beckons for the midfielder in the summer. In fact, Killie were relieved a move to French outfit Bordeaux fell through in the final week of the transfer window. Clarke has transformed Kilmarnock from relegation candidates to top-six challengers, and those touting him as a potential Scotland manager now have more ammunition to their argument. In addition to losing for only the second time domestically under Brendan Rodgers’ charge, the defeat proved costly for Celtic as defenders Dedryck Boyata and Kristoffer Ajer limped off injured in the first half.
And with Europa League last-32 clashes with Zenit looming later this month they couldn’t have come at a worse time. Celtic’s deadline day recruit Jack Hendry made his first start for his new club as Rodgers opted to deploy him in a back three alongside Boyata and Ajer. But it wasn’t long before he had to rejig his backline as Boyata hobbled out of the action and was replaced by Nir Bitton. Killie contained Celtic’s attacking threats in the first half. Charly Musonda had a couple of promising runs early on but then faded, with Mulumbu impressing in the midfield battle, just as he did in their December win over Rangers. The home side threatened with a clever corner routine as Jordan Jones played a low ball to Eamonn Brophy, who then backheeled it into the path of the winger but his shot was snuffed out at the near post by Dorus de Vries. Celtic were then forced into a second change as Ajer limped out of the action. The young Norwegian defender had been struggling for a few minutes and kept reaching down to his right ankle.
GETTY Celtic suffered their first defeat at Rugby Park since February 2010
He tried to carry on after receiving treatment but it was clear he was in a lot of discomfort and he would have to come off. Scott Sinclair went on in his place and that meant Kieran Tierney switched into the back three from his wing-back role. Killie looked more likely to break the deadlock and when De Vries could only parry out a Jones shot, the ball eventually found its way to Greg Taylor inside the penalty area but the full-back sliced his effort just wide. Hendry picked up a booking three minutes into the second half when he tripped Jones as the Killie frontman burst forward. Celtic were struggling to find their rhythm on Killie’s plastic pitch but they had a chance when Sinclair burst forward and latched onto a flick from Moussa Dembele, but he was unable to get his shot on target. Kirk Broadfoot had a chance when the defender popped up in the Celtic penalty area and gathered a cross from Jones and with his second touch fired in a shot that De Vries saved. When Killie did take the lead no one could say it was against the run of play.