IF CELTIC fans thought they had been spoiled with Kyogo Furuhashi and the immediate impact he made, it was nothing compared to the buzz Reo Hatate created on Monday night.

The midfielder’s debut performance for Celtic would suggest a bargain on the same scale as the £650,000 that the Parkhead side paid Feyenoord for the services of Henrik Larsson. His debut was notable for different reasons.

Hatate caught the eye with a swashbuckling display against Hibs and it will be interesting to see whether he is rested for the Scottish Cup game against Alloa – and he has just completed a full J1 League season – or whether he hangs onto his place.

The midfielder’s reaction to news that he had claimed the man of the match further endeared him to his new support with his humility and surprise upping the feelgood factor.

Certainly, though, there was a feeling that the week which was could be significant in just how the latter half of the Championship race plays out. Celtic were already on the front foot courtesy of a solid transfer window but the performances of those who have just appeared through the door coupled with the three points against Hibs encouraged a level of optimism that was enhanced significantly by Rangers dropping points at Pittodrie.

READ MORE: The greatest Celtic foreign imports to ever adorn the hoops - Kevin McKenna 

Scott Brown, so often Rangers’ tormentor-in-chief, would have had a few toasts raised in his honour on Tuesday evening. That the bait is still taken by players who ought to know better by now is fairly staggering but nothing that Celtic will lose sleep over.

Still, amid Celtic’s optimism it is worth noting the goal that Rangers conceded is their first domestic one since November 28. It reduces the gap at the top of the table to four points and gives Celtic the opportunity to turn the screw ahead of the meeting between the teams at the beginning of February.

Before then there is Alloa, Hearts and Dundee United for Celtic to negotiate. It is imperative for Ange Postecoglou’s side that they harness the energy and enthusiasm that their new signings have lent to the club and utilise it to put pressure on Rangers. The team with momentum tends to always be the team to emerge victorious from the derby.

Leading the pack is one thing but feeling the breath of an opponent on the neck is quite another. Celtic never managed to ask those kinds of questions of Rangers last season as the title was meekly conceded.

There is a suspicion at the minute among Celtic fans that something is stirring as they gear up for the latter half of the campaign. The next few weeks will illustrate the strength of that.