BRENDAN Rodgers last night insisted St. Mirren are the best team his Celtic side have faced domestically – ahead of their fourth meeting of the season with Rangers at Parkhead on Sunday.
A stunning second-half display by Rodgers’s team yesterday afternoon booked their place in the William Hill Scottish Cup semi-final next month – where they will face Rangers at Hampden - and kept alive their hopes of completing a treble.
Goals from Mikael Lustig, Scott Sinclair, Moussa Dembele and Leigh Griffiths secured what was ultimately a comfortable 4-1 victory at home and extended their unbeaten run to 33 games.
However, Jack Ross’s team gave their hosts a massive scare by taking the lead in the 13th minute through centre half Harry Davis and reaching half-time 1-0 ahead.
The Paisley club, five points adrift at the bottom of the Ladbrokes Championship, could easily have built on their lead early in the second half.
Celtic striker Moussa Dembele inadvertently turned a free-kick by St. Mirren midfielder Stevie Mallan onto the underside of his own crossbar with a failed clearance.
Rodgers, whose side will face Rangers in a Premiership match at Celtic Park this weekend, was greatly impressed with how well the visitors had performed and admitted he had rated them more highly than any top flight club he had encountered.
“I have to give credit to St Mirren because I think they are the best team we have played domestically, including Premiership teams,” he said. “Jack’s done an excellent job in a short period of time.
“They are very well coached and brought in some signings in January. How they are at the bottom of the league I do not know. They are very well organised, have a good idea of the game, got composure, they’ve got mobility and speed in the team.
“I can see why they would have beaten Hibs. Jack has got them very well organised. We knew it would be a good game despite where they are in the league position.”
Rodgers added: "St Mirren would hold their own in the Premiership. They are the best team we have played, without any shadow of a doubt. They have good organisation and Jack has obviously gone in there and made an impact.
"We played Alloa at Celtic Park when he was manager, so I had an idea of his coaching ability. He has gone in there, had them well organised.
"They have good speed, they have young players with enthusiasm and energy. They can hurt you and Mallan and (Stephen) McGinn in midfield are technically gifted. They play football and St Mirren have been our biggest threat domestically this season, for sure.”
Rodgers admitted his side, who had fallen behind at a free-kick, had been fortunate not to fall two goals behind in the second half. “From those two set-pieces we had an issue,” he said. “We switched off at the first one for their goal and in the second half we were rash.
“When the ball is whipped in there is no real danger and all of a sudden Moussa has a swing at it and it goes onto the bar. It can go either way, but it fell for us and we were then able to go and take control of the game.”
Elsewhere, Rodgers admitted that Craig Gordon, the Celtic and Scotland goalkeeper who was the subject of two failed bids from Chelsea in the January transfer window, has agreed terms with the Scottish champions on a three-and-a-half year extension to his current deal.
"I think Craig's contract is done,” he said. “I'm led to believe that everything is agreed. It's just a case of the formalities and signing the paperwork.”
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