10-MAN CELTIC PUT RANGERS IN SHADE
bREndan RodgERS believes Celtic took a big step towards the Scottish Premiership title after substitute odsonne Edouard scored a dramatic winner. in a classic old Firm encounter, Josh Windass’s third-minute opener for Rangers was cancelled out by a goal from Tom Rogic, and after daniel Candeias restored the home side’s lead, Celtic striker moussa dembele equalised again just before the break. Jozo Simunovic was shown a straight red by referee Willie Collum for using an arm to brush off Rangers striker alfredo morelos in the 56th minute before the 20year-old Edouard, on loan from Paris Saint-germain, curled in the winner in the 69th minute. The win puts Celtic nine points clear of their glasgow rivals, with a game in hand. ‘This is a big step, but there’s still a lot of work to do,’ Rodgers said. ‘When you perform like we did and are up against it with 10 men for 30 minutes, you are entitled to celebrate. ‘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 accepted Collum’s decision for the sending-off. ‘i can see why he has given it, Jozo’s arm was slightly bent and his elbow catches him.’ graeme murty, the Rangers manager, said he had endured the biggest disappointment of his career by squandering ‘a real good opportunity to apply some pressure’ to Celtic. ‘it was a big opportunity that we failed to grasp,’ he said. ‘i am not sure those opportunities come along too often in your career. ‘it is the hardest one so far to take. ‘i said to the players, you can’t afford to give good players space and time because they will hurt you and i thought they showed that very well today.’