As every Celtic fan knows, that resounding win against Hearts was massive for two reasons yesterday.
The first, and most obvious one, is that Celtic now sit six points clear at the top of the table with just three games left to go in the season.
Obviously, Rangers still have a game in hand but putting the points on the board at this stage of the season is the most important thing right now.
Secondly, all the pressure is on Rangers now to win against Kilmarnock today. Another slip-up at Ibrox today will make next week’s Glasgow Derby at Celtic Park a potential title decider so the Ibrox crowd will be expectant this afternoon.
And we all know how they react under pressure. The next three fixtures could weigh heavy on both the Celtic and Rangers players which makes Brendan Rodgers‘ comments at what he saw his players do at full-time yesterday that little bit more interesting.
Celtic players ‘calm’ but realistic
It would have been easy for the fans and the players to over-celebrate yesterday after the win because it did have the potential to cause a banana skin.
And as the fans showed their appreciation for the heroes after the win, Rodgers was pleased with how his players reacted to that moment.
Rodgers said [The Sunday Post], “They were happy. I don’t think we were over-celebrating. Celtic-Hearts is an important game with four to go in the season.
“I think there was a happiness in how we played and performed.
“You saw the players walking round at the end, nice and calm, taking the applause but also being respectful that we still have a job to do. A big job.
“But they did a big job today and we can now get ready. I’m so looking forward to it next week.”
Celtic set up the fixture vs Rangers nicely
If anyone had said we could potentially go into the derby next week six points ahead at this stage of the season I wouldn’t have believed them.
With Celtic struggling to find form and with well-documented injury issues, Rodgers has found it difficult to get his team consistently firing on all cylinders.
But now that the Celtic manager is getting all his top players back, that is now the fourth game in a row the team have scored three goals in a match.
So it’s no surprise that Rodgers is looking forward to the Rangers game next weekend because with the form that the team is showing right now, next weekend is set up nicely to be the biggest game of the season so far.