Top Line Summary 

  • A fantastic game
  • Proud of his players
  • Happy with most of the VAR calls
  • Title still in their hands

Everything Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers said to Sky Sports after Celtic's 3-3 draw with Rangers at Ibrox in the Glasgow Derby...

Brendan, how do you begin to sum that game up?

It was a fantastic game, full of lots of events within it. I’m so proud of the players today because we were the better team leading up to the penalty. Our composure on the ball, our pressing, everything. we restricted Rangers to virtually nothing and looked like a real threat in the first half. 2-0 up and could have had two more goals, I felt, with picking the right pass. The penalty changes the momentum of the game slightly for us in the second half. I thought it was a good decision on the pitch, and I think when you watch it back on the replays, it’s a really good recovery defending by Alistair Johnston. He’s going one way, and you can see he gets a nick on the ball and plays it away. The player then has gone down and was looking to simulate the penalty. I thought that gave them a little lift in the game, with us being the much better team. We’re unlucky with the deflection, we give the ball away but it’s a deflected goal. Then, you’re looking for your team’s response, and being here with no support to help you or push you on, the players get themselves back in front again. A brilliant finish from big Adam Idah. It looked like we could go on and win it, though Matondo scored a very good goal. For us to come here and play with that courage and mentality and in the heart and fight to get a result, to come away with things being very much in our hands, I’m very pleased with that.

You go right back to the very start to get a goal like that so early on. What did that do in terms of a foothold for you?

It was a symbol of our intent from the off. We got a goal from our pressing and Daizen Maeda is there giving the full-back no time by pressing and it goes in. You’ll always take that. You go 1-0 up in the game then of course that gives you confidence away from home.

You mentioned the first half and the chances that you had. Was there a frustration of maybe not being ahead by more at half-time?

Yeah, it could have been. I’ve been here before and we’ve been good in games and scored more. We had that opportunity again today to do that. The combination of play and the speed at times in the top line to get in behind was very good. Maybe that link pass or that final ball to get in was missing. Jack Butland made an incredible save as well off of Matty O’Riley’s header. In terms of performance, I can’t be critical, because I think we showed lots of really good moments and real courage in the game. They get the lift from the penalty, which you expect with a partisan crowd backing the team, knowing they’re a direct team that plays it up and plays forward early. We had to stand up to that and cope with that, but I thought the players did that really well.

You’ve touched on that VAR decision, there were three today. What was your overall view on the penalty you got, again the one that went against you and the disallowed goal?

I think they were all correct. I think the arm is up for our penalty, so it’s out of that body line or whatever words they use. It looked like a penalty and great composure from Matty on the finish. Their disallowed goal was a foul, I think we could see that, and John saw that afterwards. My only gripe in a game of this magnitude is it’s always a difficult game to referee, and it was only the penalty which swung it a little bit for them in the second half. Apart from that, I’ll focus on my team and players and how much they gave to the team, which was fantastic.

It’s going to be a tight run-in. How many twists and turns do you expect, given it’s still in your hands?

We needed to make sure we came out here today and do that. Of course, we came to win the game and that’s what we wanted to do. When I see how we played today and knowing that in a few week's time, we’re going to be even better, with some of the guys getting more fitness and coming back. We still have a job to do in the other games, but we play Rangers at home, and with our own backing and crowd and if we play to our own level, then we’ll be fine. We’re pleased with today and we can use that going forward.