Chris Sutton has offered his reaction to Celtic’s humbling 3-0 defeat to Rangers at Ibrox, acknowledging that the Hoops were second-best in every department.
The former Celtic striker, never one to shy away from an honest assessment, took to Twitter to praise Rangers for their performance while highlighting the high standards set by Brendan Rodgers’ side this season.
“No complaints. Celtic as flat as anything. Rangers deserved it and were better in every department. It’s a testament to Brendan Rodgers and the team the run they’ve been on and the standards set. Never a bad thing to get a reality check. Winning titles is hard. Still work to do…”
The loss was Celtic’s first league defeat of the season and a stark reminder that, despite a commanding 11-point lead at the top of the Premiership, there is still work to be done to retain their title.
Rodgers will undoubtedly take Sutton’s “reality check” comment to heart as he looks to refocus his squad for the games ahead. Celtic remain in a commanding position in the league, but the defeat serves as a reminder that standards must remain high.
The Hoops will need to bounce back quickly, with St Mirren in the Premiership at the weekend.
While some Celtic supporters have echoed Sutton’s sentiments, others have expressed frustration at the manner of the defeat. With Rangers showing renewed fight under Philippe Clement, the derby loss is a sobering moment for a team that has been so dominant domestically.
Celtic will look to regroup and ensure that this loss remains a blip in an otherwise exceptional campaign.
As Sutton rightly pointed out, winning titles is never easy – but it’s how the team responds to setbacks like this that will determine their ultimate success.
