BRENDAN RODGERS, the Celtic manager, described his team’s 22nd straight Premiership win as a ‘complete’ performance as the Champions-elect went 27 points clear at the top of the table.
Goals from Scott Sinclair, Stuart Armstrong and a Moussa Dembele double last night saw off Inverness Caledonian Thistle with a 4-0 win in the Highlands meaning the visitors are now just seven points away from a sixth title in a row. They are also 11 games from remaining unbeaten for the whole of the Premiership campaign.
“It was a really complete performance,” said Rodgers. “I think when I came in here in the summer, if I was to think of a performance that would reflect how we wanted to work and play, this was it.
“That was a demonstration of what we’ve been working towards. Defensively very strong and aggressive, denying them space, giving them no opportunity to play.
“With the ball, playing with charisma, mobility, penetration and looking a real threat. I take my hat off to the players, a brilliant performance on back of Inverness getting a good couple of results.”
It was a night of landmarks for Celtic. The Tulloch Caledonian Stadium was where Celtic dropped their only domestic points back with a 2-2 draw in September. There was no chance of a repeat here as a rampant Dembele took his tally for the season to 31.
“I said back then the team would get better,” added the Celtic manager. “Even though we played well in that game, there was no level of control like that, no idea how to press and work together.
“That shows how we’ve come on from that point. Maybe people will stop talking about that game now! It shows the team are moving in the right direction I want in terms of attacking philosophy.”
Meanwhile, Inverness manager Richie Foran couldn’t hide his disappointment as his team failed to build on a recent upturn of form. A run of three unbeaten, culminating in Friday’s victory over Rangers here, never looked like being extended as his team remain at the foot of the table two points adrift of Motherwell.
“There was no belief there. I’m not even sure Celtic got out of second gear,” he said.
“We worked hard on our kick-off to put us on the front foot, but it put us on the back foot. It was mistake after mistake. It’s not good enough. We set our standards in the last couple of games and that was not near them.”
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