ON CLOUD 9
Celtic NINE points clear as Rangers’ title charge falters Rodgers now NINE games undefeated against city rivals
BRENDAN Rodgers last night described ten-man Celtic’s latest win over Rangers as the most satisfying of his time as Parkhead manager.
The Premiership champions took a huge step towards a seventh straight title when they twice came from behind to seal victory through a stunning 69th-minute strike from substitute odsonne Edouard.
The Frenchman’s winner came despite the visitors being reduced to ten men early in the second half when Jozo simunovic was sent off for an elbow on Rangers striker Alfredo Morelos. on-loan keeper
Scott Bain was was pitched in for a baptism of fire after a pre-match injury ruled out second-choice keeper Dorus de Vries.
And, despite picking the ball out of the net inside three minutes, Bain finished the day an unlikely hero as Celtic extended their lead at the top of the Premiership to nine points with eight games to play.
Rodgers has now won seven and drawn two of his nine games against Rangers, claiming this was the most satisfying of them all.
‘Yes, definitely because the odds are against you at times,’ said the Parkhead boss. ‘It was like a game I’d watch when I was growing up watching Celtic v Rangers.
‘We made a mistake to go behind. In fact, we were behind twice — but we had great pride in the team.
‘We played well and showed that toughness and character you need.
‘In fairness to Rangers, they have been in really good form and this was at the height of their confidence levels.
‘For us to go and win it and win it with ten men was a splendid performance.’
Superb finishes from Tom Rogic and Moussa Dembele twice cancelled out Rangers strikes before half-time.
Yet Celtic’s resistance looked doomed to end in defeat when Simunovic was rightly shown a red card for needlessly felling Morelos after 56 minutes.
Offering no complaints, Rodgers observed: ‘I have watched it again and I can see why it is given.
‘Normally, defenders go with a straight arm. Jozo’s arm was slightly bent and then his elbow catches him.
‘It is unfortunate for Jozo. It put us under a little bit of pressure but we coped with that well.’
Edouard, a year-long loan signing, had been on the pitch just three minutes when he smashed a clinical finish into the far corner for the decisive goal.
‘I have said all along he is a big talent,’ said Rodgers. ‘He is one of the best young players I have worked with.
‘He has everything, touch, movement, speed, work ethic and a natural in-built football brain.
‘I see it every day in training. He has the quality to go either way but to show such composure and to go in the inside and finish like that it really endears him to the supporters, especially at Ibrox. I am delighted for him and for the team.
‘There was a lot of noise coming into the game but the boys kept their humility and had to twice come from behind in the game. They then came up with a brilliant, brilliant win.’
Rattled by the intensity of Rangers early in the game, Dedryck Boyata — playing his first game in over a month — gifted Josh Windass a third-minute opener. Rogic levelled before Daniel Candeias once again put Rangers ahead. However, Dembele’s equaliser on the stroke of half-time was crucial.
Yet the visitors had their most comfortable spell when they were down to ten men, Rangers visibly spooked by the turn of events.
‘I thought we played well with 11 men — we were the better footballing team,’ said Rodgers.
‘We had to cope with a lot of long balls and direct play. We made a couple of mistakes, of course, defensively.
‘But we’ve always got that threat going forward and our intent was to be aggressive in attack.
‘When we go to ten men, you see the players calm. We have a plan when we go to ten men and you could see what the players were doing. We also had a goal threat.
‘I thought we dealt with that final 30 minutes of the game very well. I’m very proud.’
Rodgers also singled out on-loan keeper Bain for praise after the debutant foiled Windass in the final minutes, Morelos also wasting a golden chance to earn a point for Rangers when he fired an easy chance against the post.
‘I’m delighted for Scott,’ he continued. ‘We brought him in and he has been absolutely brilliant in training.
‘But, of course, how it works for goalkeepers is that it takes something to happen for him to get an opportunity.
‘But he didn’t have too much time to think about it.
‘We gave him an idea last night that he may be playing, but it was only officially this morning that we said: “Listen, your first game for Celtic is at Ibrox...”
‘But his performance, the nerve that he showed, his calmness, his agility — the one where he makes the save and it comes off the post and bounces into his arms.
‘I’m really delighted for Scott and that will give him big confidence now as a Celtic player.’