Celtic don't pay the penalty for Ross County misfire as Luis Palma suffers nightmare day – 3 talking points

Celtic blasted back five points clear at the top as Callum McGregor marked his 450th game in the Hoops with a 1-0 win over Ross County.

Rangers had piled the pressure on champions by closing the gap with a lunchtime victory at St Mirren. But the leaders wasted no time in re-establishing their authority as Alistair Johnston’s first goal of the season after just ONE minute opened the door to what ended up a more complicated victory than should have been necessary not least due to Luis Palma missing two penalties.

Celtic wore black armbands in memory of former Parkhead full-back Stuart Gray, son of Scotland and Leeds icon Eddie, who passed away after illness at the age of just 50. And within 60 seconds of kick off they were ahead through Johnston. Liel Abada’s shot was blocked but fell perfectly for the Canadian, 20 yards out, and his rasping low shot deflected wickedly past George Wickens to squirm into the bottom corner.

If that was unfortunate then Ross County - more to the point Simon Murray - would have had nobody to blame but themselves if they’d fallen 2-0 behind just before the half hour after the striker tripped McGregor as the Hoops skipper in the box with little apparent danger. Incredibly Palma saw his spot kick saved TWICE by Harman after the first effort was ordered to be retaken due to three County players encroaching.

Palma went low to Wickens’ right on the first attempt. And did exactly the same with the same outcome on the second. It could well have proved costly soon after as Will Nightingale thumped the crossbar with a header from just two yards out from Yan Dhanda’s corner.

Palma drew another save from Wickens, this time with a curling 25 yarder as he cut in off the left just before the break and