Ki Sung-yueng hailed Gary Hooper as a "goal machine" after the Celtic striker scored a dramatic last-gasp winner at St Mirren with his 10th strike of the season.
Neil Lennon's side looked to be dropping two vital points when Hooper, who arrived at Parkhead in the summer from Scunthorpe for a reported fee of around £2.4million, pounced with seconds remaining of three minutes added time to keep the visitors a point behind Rangers at the top of the Clydesdale Bank Premier League.
South Korea international Ki, whose performance was described by Lennon as world class, acknowledged the importance of his English team-mate and said: "Gary is brilliant. I think he is a goal machine and has scored in the 90th minute two or three times."
He added: "It is hard to explain but he is a very good striker and he is the type of player you need to win the league. We need goals and the goal difference could be very important at the end of the season."
Ki played in the 4-0 defeat at New St Mirren Park in March which effectively ended the tenure of former manager Tony Mowbray and he was glad to leave Paisley with happier memories this time.
"I was very disappointed in the 4-0 defeat and I was looking for revenge," he said. "After that defeat I didn't play in the first team for 10 games. It was a very hard time for me.
"The manager was changed after the game so I can't forget it. If we had drawn I would have been disappointed but we won so it's fine."
St Mirren boss Danny Lennon remains happy with the progress the Paisley club have made since he took over in the summer, despite learning an Old Firm lesson.
He said: "Rangers and Celtic never give in, a game of football for them lasts from the first to the 93rd minute. However, to lose a match in the final minute is very disappointing no matter who the opposition is but I feel we are now looking a very difficult side to beat which is pleasing.
"I thought we limited them and when they did get through we got good blocks in. I can only take the positives."
Source: PA
