FOOTBALL, as everyone knows, is a results business. And there is no room for debate over how crucial the three points Celtic garnered from their trip to Aberdeen were to them and manager Ange Postecoglou, no matter how they were earned.

The doubts over this Celtic side mainly stem from their fortitude – or lack of it – in both a defensive sense and in their ability to grind out points when the football isn’t as free-flowing as Postecoglou desires.

Sunday’s match at Pittodrie seemed to offer something of a counterpoint to that theory, with Celtic finally winning away from home and digging out a winner late on when the game appeared to be drifting away from them.

The scorer of that vital goal though, Joao Jota, has no interest in holding the win over Aberdeen up as proof that Postecoglou’s side has more than one string to their bow. For him, sacrificing the principles of how Celtic are aiming to play for the sake of victories is unthinkable. Playing the beautiful game trumps winning ugly for the Portuguese winger every time.

“I think that if we can play good football then that is the most important thing,” Jota said.

“We don’t want to win playing bad football because those are not our principles.

“The ideals and the process of the manager tells us we have to stick to our plans, fight for the team and to believe in everyone. That is what we are trying to do.

“It is not an easy job but difficult things in life are the best ones and we are fighting to get to the end of the Championship with a lot of good things.”

The goal against Aberdeen was Jota’s second in four games, with the winger starting to get the rewards as he settles into the Celtic side. Though, perhaps unsurprisingly for anyone who has been closely following his progress, he also cracked a long-range effort off the crossbar, a feature of his game that is becoming something of an unwelcome party-piece.

“Me and the bar is like a big relationship,” he said. “I have to work on that.

“It was very close but I did score in the second half and I am happy for that.

“I was thrilled for the goal and the most important thing was the victory because we were looking for this feeling. It was a difficult pitch and we fought very hard.

“Scoring goal is one of the best feelings ever. Having the team backing me up is also a very good thing. I just have to be grateful for that.

“We were a winning team and that was the most important thing.

The joy of hitting the back of the net was only surpassed by the relief of finally getting that elusive away victory in the league, Celtic’s first since mid-February.

The responsibility for that run cannot exclusively be laid at the feet of Postecoglou and his new signings, of course, but Jota was still pleased to get that particular monkey off their back following defeats to Hearts, Rangers and Livingston on their travels so far this term.

“For sure it is something we work at every day, to win home or away,” he said. “The result speaks for itself and shows we are working hard every day to achieve.

“Time will tell how hard we are working every day and the things we are going to do during the season.

“We have to be mentally ready both collectively and individually for every challenge. There is a big responsibility for this club - we have to win every game and win every challenge.”

What is helping Celtic get back to doing that is the return of key players from injury, with Kyogo Furuhashi and Callum McGregor already back on the pitch and several others hoping to make their own comebacks after the international break.

The chance to link up with Furuhashi in attack has been one that Jota has relished.

“He was injured for a few days and I have only had the opportunity to play with him twice,” he said. “He is a great player and understands very good football.

“I just want to learn with him and all my other team mates.”

And as he learns more about the Scottish game and adapts to his new surroundings, the more the Celtic support are getting to know and love Jota, it seems.

“Football is a world language,” he said. “It is the same everywhere but then there are specific things in each country. Obviously, it is not the same as Portugal or Spain where I have been in recent years.

“We have to adapt, understand the philosophy of the game and the way everyone plays.

“If I stick with my mentality and personality then I want to be myself.

“I am going to do that and enjoy every single moment because football is about enjoyment.”

Ange Postecoglou will surely say amen to that.