It was a night to remember for 22-year-old Dane Murray, who signed a new deal with Celtic on Friday before heading straight into the spotlight with his first goal for the club in the 4-1 win over Falkirk.

The centre-back marked his contract extension in perfect fashion, rising to meet a cross just after the hour mark and powering his header beyond Scott Bain. For Brendan Rodgers, it was the perfect example of a young player taking his opportunity.

But the gaffer didn’t take all the credit, he made sure one of his coaches received the plaudits.

“He’s a big talent,” said the Celtic boss to the Herald. “Fair play to Gavin (Strachan), he was working on that yesterday and getting the ball wide into that area to then go on the attack, you know, and he’s very good in there.

“So I think it all comes from the delivery. The delivery onto his head was sensational, his speed, precision, and he got the rewards for that. But like you say, Ali’s (Johnston) goal comes from the aggression, good numbers around the ball and then we can break away and and affect the goal.”

Rodgers’ decision to rotate heavily against Falkirk paid off, with several fringe players seizing the chance to impress. But Murray’s contribution stood out, not only as a milestone in his own career, but also as a glimpse into the defensive options available to the Celtic manager for what will be a punishing schedule in the weeks ahead.

Fans knew that he would probably get a chance this season. Throughout pre-season, the manager was full of praise for the academy graduate, and he was given plenty of opportunities after he was in and around the first team since January last term.

It was good to see other players step up, too. Trusty looked solid, with McCowan and Engels putting in a good shift.

For the defender himself, it was the perfect way to celebrate committing his future to the club he has grown up in.