Thomas Hatton keeps knocking on Celtic first-team door with latest B team display

The 19-year-old was on the scoresheet as Celtic B recorded a 3-1 victory over Hamilton Academical in their opening KDM Evolution Trophy fixture on Wednesday night.

It came just three days after Hatton was left out of O’Neill’s matchday squad for the emphatic 5-1 Premiership win over Kilmarnock at Rugby Park.

The youngster had also missed out against Dundee on the opening weekend, despite spending much of the summer involved with Celtic’s senior squad.

Hatton first caught the eye during the pre-season victory over Shelbourne in July, with his willingness to run directly at defenders quickly earning praise from supporters.

He remained around O’Neill’s first-team group throughout the summer and produced arguably his most impressive display against AC Milan in Celtic’s final pre-season outing.

Celtic’s own match report highlighted Hatton’s involvement in their best late opportunities, with the teenager holding off Youssouf Fofana before beating Filippo Terracciano and firing narrowly wide from distance. He later created an opportunity for Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

O’Neill was impressed by what he saw and singled out one particular quality in Hatton’s game afterwards.

“He is prepared to take people on. That’s a dying art, which is great.” O’Neill said.

The Celtic boss also acknowledged the youngster faces significant competition to force his way into the first team, while making clear how impressed he had been by Hatton’s attitude throughout pre-season.

Competitive action has since seen the teenager drop back into the B team, with O’Neill sticking with the same senior matchday squad for the opening victories over Dundee and Kilmarnock.

Hatton’s task is now to keep himself firmly in the manager’s thoughts by performing whenever opportunities arrive elsewhere.