Michael Beale admits he can't remember Kyogo Furuhashi missing a chance against Rangers as he saluted the Celtic man as the 'most outstanding player in the league'.
Ange Postecoglou moved quickly to snap up the attacker when he arrived in Glasgow and he has been a revelation ever since. The Japan hitman quickly established himself as a fans' favourite and despite a few injuries interrupting his debut season he still managed 20 goals. This year has been ever more successful with 29 in all competitions to his name. That leaves him just one goal off a half century for the club and the 30-mark for the campaign.
Kyogo has often had the big say in matches with Rangers with his deadly double at Hampden helping Celtic defeat the Light Blues in the League Cup Final earlier this year. He was also on target twice in the recent 3-2 win at Parkhead and grabbed the late leveller at Ibrox in Beale's first Old Firm derby as Ibrox gaffer.
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The Rangers boss has put down the 'clinical' number nine as one of the main reasons for the Hoops' success this season and he labelled him an 'outstanding player
He said: “I don’t remember Kyogo missing a chance (against us). I do remember us having opportunities (against Celtic) that we missed. Over the season, he’s probably been the most outstanding player in the league and that will probably be shown at the end..
“They have won two competitions and he has been the outstanding player. He has taken his chances. There is a stat on how we’ve had the most shots and the most shots on target. We’re not a million miles away from Celtic either when it comes to clean sheets.
"But a clinical number nine is one the reasons why Celtic have done well this season. He’s obviously an excellent player.”
He added: “Would I ideally have come in mid-season with an injury crisis and crisis of confidence? No, I wouldn’t have. You’d rather come in at the start of a season. But when you’re given an opportunity to come here, it’s something you want to grasp. I knew the league table was difficult.
“The cup final was extremely disappointing because we didn’t start behind in that. That’s why this Sunday is. a big opportunity for us again. If you play your biggest rivals four times and they are the one team you’ve got to get in front of - you’d like to think by the end of it you’d know exactly where this team needs to go.
“That might be psychologically or certain qualities, or aspects of the game - you’re learning all the time. But it’s never fixed. And I’m not silly enough to think we’ll improve our team while other teams in the league are not also going to recruit this summer to get better.”
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