Celtic thump Rangers to earn Sottish crown

BeSoccer 5 years ago 333
With their win, Celtic were crowned champions of Scotland. AFP

Celtic hammered arch Glasgow rivals Rangers 5-0 to secure a seventh successive Scottish title with an emphatic Old Firm victory on Sunday.

This win, achieved in front of their own fans at Celtic Park, gave Brendan Rodgers' side an unassailable 10-point lead at the top of the Scottish Premiership table over Aberdeen, who can only take a maximum of nine points from their three remaining league games. Rangers are three points further back in third place.

Celtic are now just two shy of the record of nine Scottish titles in a row they already share with Rangers. The Hoops' title party started early as they went 3-0 up before half-time.

Odsonne Edouard gave Celtic an early lead before Edouard and James Forrest added two more goals late in the opening period.

Two minutes after the break, Tom Rogic made it 4-0 with Callum McGregor scoring Celtic's fifth goal in the 53rd minute.

Defeat did little for Rangers caretaker manager Graeme Murty's hopes of holding onto his job, amid speculation the Gers are set to appoint Liverpool great Steven Gerrard as their new permanent boss.

Rodgers, who was Gerrard's manager at Liverpool for the latter part of the celebrated midfielder's Anfield career, is now unbeaten in 11 games against Rangers since he arrived in Glasgow in 2016 -- a run made up of nine wins and two draws.

The Northern Irishman is also just a Scottish Cup final win over Motherwell away from guiding Celtic to an unprecedented second successive domestic treble.

"The performance was really pleasing, under the pressure and given the game," Rodgers told 'Sky Sports.' "You have to play football and today we did the basics really well," he added.

"We were outstanding and could have had more goals...It's been a brilliant season by the players."

Mentioned in the news story

C. Mcgregor
J. Forrest
T. Rogić
O. Edouard
Rangers FC