Rodgers ups the pressure on Rangers ahead of Old Firm showdown
By Matt Farr
Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers insists there is no pressure on his side ahead of their derby meeting with Rangers on Saturday.
Rodgers could not though, say for the same for Celtic’s great rivals, adding that it was a must-win game for Rangers.
Celtic are currently 16 points clear of Rangers at the top of the Scottish Premiership, and having yet to be defeated in domestic competitions this season, are well on their way to recording their sixth consecutive league title.
Rangers, meanwhile, slipped up with a 1-1 draw at St. Johnstone on Wednesday, and require a win to have any chance of catching Celtic in the title race.
However, former Liverpool manager Rodgers remains confident that his side can get the job done at Ibrox.
He told the Daily Record: “There is huge pressure on them to get the result at home.
“For us, we have played in big games under pressure this season and dealt well with it, stayed calm and got the result.
“We know it will be tough and it’s a game we are looking forward to. It finishes off a remarkable first half of the season for us and we aim to go there and win.
“For us, it doesn’t matter what the result is on Saturday. We have had a fantastic start to the season and irrespective of the result, we will be happy with our work.”
Rodgers may of course be referring to the big-game clashes during Celtic’s Champions League campaign, as well as their road to the Scottish League Cup title earlier in the season.
The Hoops had to respond to a 7-0 drubbing by Barcelona in the Champions League group-stage to avoid the same fate in the return fixture – which they lost 2-0.
They also drew with Manchester City on two occasions, and then held their nerve to beat Aberdeen in the Scottish cup Final at the end of November.
In other Celtic news, the Hoops are set to seal a January deal for this midfielder.