On Wednesday night, Celtic completed a thorough 6-0 drubbing of Partick Thistle in the Scottish League Cup. More notably, Sweden international John Guidetti took the opportunity to put on a set piece clinic.
The 22-year-old, who’s been written off more times than an expensive dinner on a rich person’s taxes, managed two free kicks and a penalty in a 25-minute span to earn a stunning hat trick. Guidetti, who is currently on loan from Manchester City, has netted 8 times in 8 games this season, and looks likely to make his temporary move permanent come the January transfer window.
It’s difficult to say which of the three goals was the most impressive, as even the penalty was a well-taken bullet to the back corner. However, the second free kick stand outs, not just because of the brilliance of the take but also because of the referee’s apparent refusal to allow Guidetti an enthusiastic celebration (read: he fails to get out of the way of the energetic attacker).
The victory means that Celtic advances to the next round of the League Cup, where the club could theoretically meet its most hated rivals: Rangers. The two sides haven’t met in an Old Firm Derby since April 2012, but if they do this time around, sparks are sure to fly. When asked about the possibility of meeting Rangers, Guidetti fired off an impressively bold declaration: “You’re going down.”