Favourite status is fine by Rodgers

BRENDAN RODGERS is happy that Celtic are favourites to win Saturday’s Old Firm clash.

The Hoops have a 100% record in the Premiership this season, while Rangers have already dropped four points.

Managers often like to talk down their team’s chances but Rodgers can understand why people fancy his team.

He said: “I would say there’s a bit of justification in saying we are favourites. I think the proof is there for that, but they are always dangerous games.

“It doesn’t matter how well one team is doing and how badly the other team is doing.

“I remember an Everton game, they came into it when Roberto Martinez had taken charge and they were on a real high and they hadn’t won at Anfield for so long.

“It was deemed this was going to be the game for them.

“We won 4-0 and we were three up in the first half.

“But people can look at our team at the moment and see a real vibrancy and energy.

“We never had an easy friendly in pre-season.

“We picked teams to play, like Ljubljana and Maribor, who were potential Champions League qualifiers.

“These teams helped us going into the qualifiers and obviously the competition here is strong and tough as well.”

Celtic’s preparation for the campaign was something Rangers’ boss Mark Warburton would have relished.

He remains frustrated at having to take part in the League Cup while the Hoops were sharpening their skills against continental opposition.

“I was disappointed with the quality of our pre-season programme,” he said

“I openly said that when Celtic were playing Barcelona and Milan and we weren’t.

“So for next year, we have to have a higher quality of pre-season opposition. That’s important.

“The risk Celtic ran was the number of games they played.

“That can have an effect but all credit to them for coming through that and achieving their goals.”