Thursday 12 February 2015 08:00, UK
Ronny Deila was delighted to see his Celtic side restore their three point cushion at the top of the Premiership with a comfortable 3-0 win at Partick as Gary Mackay-Steven and Stuart Armstrong enjoyed goal-scoring debuts.
The former opened the scoring inside the first minute at Firhill and his former Dundee United team-mate Armstrong added a second before half-time with Stefan Johansen rounding off the victory just after the hour.
Deila told Sky Sports: “I’m very happy, it was a very difficult pitch to play on. I think the performances were good and we won in a good way."
On the goal-scoring performances of Mackay-Steven and Armstrong, he said: “It couldn’t be much better – it’s good to get the early goal, both of them scored, and it was a good performance as well.
"We have seen it in training that they are good players. They have things that maybe we didn’t have so much of in the team and you can see that we get more difficult to read when we have players like them on the pitch as well. It gives us extra options which is excellent.
"We knew they could make an impact and they will get even better in a good team like Celtic."
Mackay-Steven said: "I was delighted to finally get on the pitch and it was nice to get the early goal as it settles the nerves. I think the team played very well. It was good team performance in every department."
Armstrong added: "Gary got us off to the perfect start and I think we in control for most of the game and I am just delighted to get the three points."
In-form Celtic have now gone eight games without conceding - but Thistle boss Alan Archibald felt his side were denied a clear penalty. Stuart Bannigan saw his shot blocked by Emilio Izaguirre but the referee Crawford Allan was unmoved.
Archibald said: "It was handball. I have had two or three given against us this season but we don't let them and we don't expect to get them. We have had one penalty this season. I wasn't expecting to get another one against Celtic.
"It is hard for referees, I wish they would take the grey area away because it is as frustrating for them as for us. Our keeper was fouled in the build-up to their third goal but the ref seemed to think it was an advantage for us. I don't know why.
"It is just one of those decisions you get with referees, usually against Celtic but it is vital that you make Celtic work for their goals but we gave them their goals."
