Liam Scales claims he’s got no fears about Kasper Hogh’s luck turning after the Dane’s goalless run at Celtic extended to 16 matches.

Without a goal to his name since hitting a hat-trick at Kilmarnock on August 9, the forward thought his drought was over when he found the net against the same opponent on Sunday.

Denied his long-awaited moment of glory when VAR spotted an earlier infringement by Mika Baur, Hogh watched from the bench as Martin O’Neill’s side ground out a one-goal win which took them four points clear at the top of the table.

But while the Dane will now have to wait until the home match with St Mirren following the international break for his next opportunity, Scales – the scorer on the day – feels his team-mate has nothing to worry about.

‘He’s been brilliant,’ said the Irishman. ‘He keeps doing the right things and eventually it will fall for him.

‘He was so unlucky with his goal being ruled out. And he told me he was right behind me with the goal I scored. If I’d known that I might have left it!

‘It will fall for him. He’s a goalscorer and a good player. His all-round game was brilliant, he held the ball up really well.

‘He’s just been unlucky. But his attitude has been brilliant. If he keeps doing the right things it will work out for him.

‘He has an amazing attitude and that’s why I really believe he will be successful.’

With Benjamin Nygren missing a second-half penalty, O’Neill was grateful for the improvised finish of Scales earlier in the game.

‘It took an age to come down,’ Scales recalled of his third of the season. ‘I wasn’t sure if it was going to land on the roof of the net.

‘I was just trying to guide it on target and luckily enough it went in. It was nice to score and hopefully I can get a few more between now and the end of the season.’

The victory over Killie ensured Celtic bounced back from their loss at Falkirk and a draw with Dundee United and built on their dramatic midweek win over Besiktas in the Europa League.

‘It was definitely important,’ said Scales. ‘Two games without a win is bad enough, but three would have been a nightmare.

‘We knew we needed that win and can go into the break and refresh. Some of the lads can rest and recover and hopefully we’ll come back in this form.

‘I do think confidence is a massive part of our group and it was probably hit a little bit. The win against a top side like Besiktas has boosted us a little bit. There’s kind of a better mood around and we just want to keep adding good results.’

Scales is optimistic that the better options that are now at the manager’s disposal can help the side hit the kind of form which has eluded them this season.

‘We had (Hyun-jun) Yang back on Sunday, Jota is obviously starting,’ he said. ‘These guys are getting back to full sharpness and getting minutes. Hopefully, this will help and we can build on it.

‘We know we haven’t been good enough between the last international window and this one. We’ve let a few results go and we’re not exactly where we want to be.

‘We always want to be on top of the table. We don’t want to be chasing. We want to be good arm’s length from the challengers.

‘Last season wasn’t what we wanted at all and we don’t want a repeat of that.’