‘Big step’ but work still to do: Rodgers

Brendan Rodgers believes that 10-man Celtic took a big step towards the Ladbrokes Premiership title yesterday.

The Celtic manager insisted the title race was not over “by a long way “but added: “This is obviously a big step, nine points clear with a game in hand but still a lot of work to do.

“But when you come to one of your rivals and perform like we did and are up against it with 10 men for 30 minutes you are entitled to celebrate.

“A great victory for us, and we deserved it. I thought we played well with 11 men. I thought we were the better football team.

“We had to cope with a lot of long balls and direct play. We made a couple of mistakes defensively but we have always got that threat going forward.

“We have a plan when we go to 10 men. You could see what the players were doing and they dealt with that final 30 minutes really well. I am very proud.

Rodgers understood Collum’s decision to send off Simunovic, saying; “I can see why he has given it. Jozo’s arm was slightly bent and his elbow catches him”.

He was more expansive praising keeper Scott Bain, on loan from Dundee since January, who replaced injured Dorus de Vries to make his Hoops debut.

The Northern Irishman said: “I am delighted for him. He has been absolutely brilliant in training but how it works, of course, is that it takes something to happen to get an opportunity.

“He didn’t have too much time to think about it.

“We gave him an idea last night that he would be playing but it was only officially this morning that we said, ‘Listen, your first game for Celtic is at Ibrox’.

“I am delighted for him, and that will give him big confidence as a Celtic player.”

Picture: SNS. Scott Bain was hailed by manager Brendan Rodgers.