BBC commentator Rob Maclean has named Dedryck Boyata in his team of the week after the Celtic defender impressed in the 1-0 win against Kilmarnock at Rugby Park on Sunday.
It was not a classic display by the Hoops, who won courtesy of a last-gasp goal by captain Scott Brown, but Boyata was solid at the back and an impressive Killie attack failed to have many clear cut opportunities in front of goal.
Maclean gave a gushing verdict of Boyata’s display on the BBC Sport website on Monday after the Bhoys moved eight points clear at the top of the Scottish Premiership table.
“The much-maligned Dedryck Boyata gets the third place in my defensive set-up,” he said.
“There was a reason Celtic goalkeeper Scott Bain had little to do at Rugby Park on Sunday. The players in front of him limited Kilmarnock to very few scoring chances with Belgian international Boyata running the show.”
OPINION
Boyata certainly had a shaky start to the game, but as the action progressed he became more and more comfortable, bailing out Kristoffer Ajer on the odd occasion, who failed to look at sturdy as his Belgian team-mate. Boyata has had a really topsy-turvy season for the Bhoys. There was uproar in the summer when it looked like he was on the verge of leaving Celtic Park, but since returning to the side he has done quite well and his performance on Sunday was a major reason as to why Brendan Rodgers’ men won all three points in Ayrshire. Kilmarnock are no push overs and they have some really good attacking players in Eamonn Brophy, Jordan Jones and Chris Burke. However none of them really stood out when they got anywhere near the goal because Boyata played so well. It is no shock to see him in Maclean’s team of the week.