The league champions must show consistency
the air in celebration when Aiden McGeady buried a penalty in the final minute of extra-time to seal a 2-0 victory and clinch the trophy.
It was a massive statement and huge psychological boost entering the run-in. With a three point lead in the top-flight table, they were strong favourites to win the Premier League for the fourth consecutive year.
But draws to Dundee United, Hearts and Hibernian along with a defeat to Rangers followed that success and they were pipped on the final day. Strachan resigned the next morning. Winning the League Cup had proved irrelevant.
So, while Celtic were quite entitled to enjoy their thrilling 1-0 triumph in the final of the Betfred Cup at Hampden yesterday and will undoubtedly take confidence into their forthcoming Ladbrokes Premiership matches as a result, it will have little if any bearing on what happens in the remainder of the campaign.
With only two points separating the two Glasgow clubs after 15 matches, and with another 23 games still to come and 69 points available, anything can still happen in the league.
Neil Lennon predicted the hard-fought win will lift Celtic last night. At the same time, though, he conceded it could make Rangers even more determined to end their reign.
“It’s massive, absolutely massive,” he said. “It’s huge. Psychologically it’s a massive shot in the arm for the players in the circumstances, but they may get more motivation from it. Now all focus is on the league.”
Any team can win a one-off match if they play to their very best of their abilities on the day and their opponents fail to do likewise. Or, as was the
1 1245 and 1845.
TOMORROW Football Champions League, Napoli v Genk - BT Sport 1 1730, Chelsea v Lille - BT Sport 2 1900, Inter Milan v Barcelona - BT Sport/ESPN 1945; Championship, Preston v Fulham - Sky Sports Main Event 1900.
Snooker Scottish Open Eurosport 1 1245 and 1845.
ON THIS DAY
1942 Billy Bremner, an integral part of Leeds’ rise to the top of British football in the 1970s, case yesterday, they take their chances and their foes don’t. But the side that prevails in the league is the one which shows greater consistency over a 10-month period.
How Rangers get on against Motherwell at Fir Park on Sunday and how Celtic fare against Hearts at Tynecastle on Wednesday week is more important to their chances.
When Steven Gerrard’s men beat Brendan Rodgers’ charges 1-0 at Ibrox last December to draw level with them on points in the Premiership many predicted the balance of power in Scottish football was finally set to shift after eight long years.
However, when play resumed after the winter break, Celtic, bolstered by the arrival of Oliver Burke, Jeremy Toljan and Timothy Weah in the January transfer window, went on an eight game winning run in the league, scoring 20 goals and conceding just two in the process.
Rangers, meanwhile, lost
was born. He died in December 1997.
2007 Floyd Mayweather stopped Ricky Hatton in the 10th round of their WBC welterweight title fight in Las Vegas, handing the Mancunian a first defeat of his pro career. 2012 Lionel Messi equalled
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