Saturday 23 January 2016 19:12, UK
Celtic manager Ronny Deila praised Gary Mackay-Steven and Stuart Armstrong for coming through the first difficult spell of their Parkhead careers after the pair netted in a 3-1 victory over St Johnstone.
Mackay-Steven hit his first two goals of the season either side of Armstrong's volley as Celtic restored their six-point advantage over Aberdeen at the top of the Premiership.
The 25-year-old winger had made his first league start in three months during Tuesday's 8-1 win over Hamilton and Deila has been pleased with how he and Armstrong have kicked on almost a year after joining from Dundee United.
"Gary has been out for a while and played two very good matches," Deila said. "Stuart looks very sharp so I'm very pleased with that.
"It's tough here. We have many players who haven't played for big clubs coming from smaller clubs. It's one thing to come in when everything is positive and you are kicking on, but then the expectation is coming over you and it takes time to deal with that.
"When they get through that you play with more freedom. Hopefully now Gary has done it and Stuart is looking better. Callum McGregor had a little period out and has come back in again.
"To develop players takes times but if you work the right way you get your credit in the end."
The pair kept James Forrest on the bench until the final stages but Deila revealed the club were making progress in contract talks with the Celtic academy graduate.
"We are talking with him and we want to keep James here," Deila said. "He's a very good player and I think we have a lot to improve with him as well. I think he wants [a new contract], he loves Celtic and has been here for many years.
"He has trained for two months every session, I don't think now he is going to pull a muscle like he did for four years before that. We have worked a lot with him but now he can really get out his potential.
"No-one can do that when you are in three games and out injured again. You need consistency. Jamesie has fought hard with his body, he has done a lot of hard work off the pitch and now we can really work on what happens on the pitch."
St Johnstone boss Tommy Wright restored Michael O'Halloran to his team after Rangers failed to follow up two unsuccessful bids made before the Perth side's draw with Hamilton last weekend.
He set up Steven MacLean's 12th-minute equaliser with some good wing play and caused Celtic problems when he was put up front in the second half.
Wright, who revealed there had been no fresh offers, said: "I was really pleased with his performance, he was excellent throughout the game, when we put him up top as well he was a threat.
"It was difficult the previous week because the speculation became an interest and that snowballed in the press, and he just wasn't right mentally. But he certainly was this week."
