Glasgow Rangers will head into Christmas in second and two points behind the league leaders after their 2-0 win over Motherwell in the Scottish Premiership on Sunday.
Philippe Clement's side secured all three points thanks to early goals from midfielders Kieran Dowell and Todd Cantwell in the first half.
The two strikes allowed the Light Blues to control the remainder of the match but they were unable to find a third to completely settle the nerves of supporters before full-time.
Cantwell was outstanding in the middle of the park with a terrific display but central defender Leon Balogun was also superb and the unsung hero of the afternoon.
Todd Cantwell's performance against Motherwell in numbers
The former Norwich City star registered his first Premiership goal of the season in what was a sublime individual performance on Christmas Eve.
He lined up in the number ten position and used his energy, positioning, and quality to consistently make things happen in possession for Clement's side.
The English wizard found the back of the net to make it 2-0 in the first half as Abdallah Sima set him up to find the bottom left corner with a crisp finish from around 18 yards out, and came close to a second with a rasping half-volley that was tipped onto the bar.
Along with his goal, Cantwell, who had 50 touches of the ball, also showcased his creativity with four key passes to set up his teammates for shots.
He produced one fantastic cross to the back post for Cyriel Dessers during the first half that the Nigeria international miscued, when the forward could have had a huge opportunity to head the ball in.
Leon Balogun's performance against Motherwell in numbers
Meanwhile, the 35-year-old veteran – Balogun – put in a colossal performance at the heart of the defence to keep Motherwell at bay throughout the game and provide the attack with a platform to build from.
Jack Butland was rarely troubled in between the sticks for the Gers as the central defender, alongside Connor Goldson, came out on top in the majority of his battles.
The former Wigan titan was imperious on the deck as he won an outstanding seven of his eight ground duels, which helped him to win four tackles in total.
Balogun also won seven of his 11 aerial battles, which meant that the ace won 14 duels overall, as Motherwell tested the Gers backline with a barrage of crosses and long balls, particularly towards the end of the match.
Appearances
Eight
Sofascore rating
7.39
Duel success rate
73%
Clean sheets
Six
Tackles per game
1.8
The Nigeria international, as you can see from the table above, has been an impressive performer since his return to Ibrox over the summer, with his dominant displays at the back.
Balogun, who also had more touches (62) than Cantwell (50), also made three clearances and one block against Motherwell on Sunday to keep a sixth clean sheet of the campaign in his eight outings.
It was a powerful showing from the experienced defender and one that may have gone under the radar in what was a comfortable 2-0 win on paper, which is why he was the unsung hero for Clement.
