Chris Sutton has hit back at Kris Boyd by pointing out how easily Celtic won the Premiership last season. Rangers may have had the edge in a few derby games, but the title race itself was never close.
Celtic, led by Brendan Rodgers, built their success on consistency across the full season. They had the title effectively wrapped up well before the final whistle on the last day, underlining their superiority across the 38-game season, not just the high-profile derby games.
Sutton, never shy about defending Celtic’s record, pushed back at any suggestion that Rangers were close contenders. His comments were aimed squarely at Boyd, who has been vocal about Rangers’ performances in the derby matches. But as Sutton highlighted, titles aren’t won in Glasgow Derby games alone.
The former Celtic striker also touched on the current state of the squad, expressing mild concern over a lack of new faces so far in the summer window. He made clear that while Celtic go into the new campaign as favourites again, reinforcements are needed to keep things fresh and competitive.
He said: (Sky Sports), “Well, Celtic have been the dominant force for a long time now in Scotland, haven’t they?
“The truth is, last season, I think Kris would admit, it wasn’t really a title race at all, albeit, Rangers had the better of Celtic in the head to heads, and Celtic will go into this season as strong favourites to win it again.
“I’m a little bit concerned that Celtic haven’t got more players, and I think that is important, that when a team is as strong as Celtic have been, that they add to the squad and freshen things up.
“But I’m sure there will be a couple more moves in the in the pipeline, and players brought in.”
Sutton’s comments serve as a sharp reminder that while derby victories can lift spirits, they don’t replace the consistency required to win titles. Celtic had their hands on the league trophy with room to spare last season, something even Boyd couldn’t reasonably argue against.
With Rodgers preparing his squad for the new campaign, the focus will shift to transfer activity. Celtic fans will be watching closely to see if the club backs Rodgers in the market.
The challenge now for Celtic is to build on their domestic dominance while also improving on the European front. Squad depth and quality additions will be key if they are to take that next step.
For now, the message from Sutton is clear: don’t be fooled by the derby results. Over the course of the season, it was Celtic who stood tallest, by some distance.
