Back on the only ground where they had tasted domestic defeat this season, Ange Postecoglou named an unchanged Celtic starting XI from the side that defeated Rangers to claim the league cup last week.
The ghosts of St Mirren park were quick to haunt the league leaders however as the hosts were awarded a penalty with just seven minutes gone. VAR adjudged that Greg Tylor had handled in the area, before captain Mark O’Hara stepped up to give his side a shock early advantage.
Celtic inevitably piled the pressure on as the half ticked down, with Trevor Carson producing an excellent reflex save to deny Jota just before the half hour mark. The Portuguese winger drifted into the box only to see his low driven effort parried away by the man celebrating his 35th birthday.
Jota was again looking the most dangerous from a Celtic perspective, this time it was Charles Dunne who intervened to deflect his effort wide with 10 minutes of the half remaining.
As St Mirren were looking to see out the first period with their lead in tact, Celtic were awarded a penalty and Dunne shown a straight red card.
Kyogo’s high press was forced the defender into an error which saw him sent to the stands for a clumsy last man challenge. VAR would, in part, spare St Mirren as Dunne’s foul was deemed to be outside the box but Celtic still have the man advantage as they hunt down an equalizer.
