The Bhoys winger will face the Gers on Saturday, and the occasion could well bring back terrible memories.
Celtic winger Patrick Roberts has insisted to Sky Sports that he is no longer haunted by his horror miss against Old Firm rivals Rangers in the Scottish Cup semi-final at Hampden Park in April.
Roberts will be hoping to be in Brendan Rodgers’ starting XI as the Hoops take on the Gers at Celtic Park on Saturday in the arch-rivals’ first league meeting in four years.
Whilst the game has been predictably hyped up in the lead-up to the Roberts, for the teenager there is a danger that it will bring back a painful memory.
Celtic were 1-0 down to their rivals on Scottish football’s biggest stage when the ball fell to Roberts in front of an open goal after Leigh Griffiths had hit the post, but the winger somehow put his effort wide.
It would prove to be costly, as Rangers prevailed on penalties after a 2-2 draw in 120 minutes, and it is a moment which has likely haunted both Roberts and Hoops fans in the months since.
However, the 19-year-old has told Sky Sports that he has not allowed himself to dwell on his worst moment in a green-and-white shirt so far, and vowed that next time he will not pass up such an opportunity.
Roberts said: “You don’t worry about that too much. It doesn’t faze me. It was a bad miss and it happens in football, it happens all the time. I tried to do it too perfect and it didn’t come off. Next time that will be in the back of the net.
“I learned from the last game. That was quite intense. I thoroughly enjoyed that. I can only improve every game and I will go into this game even better than I was then.”
Roberts will be desperate for a chance to make good on his promise, and to see him net in Saturday’s showdown would be a moment of vindication for the youngster and one to savour for the home fans.
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