Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers’ first season back at Parkhead could yield two trophies despite the Irishman navigating a host of challenges along the way.
Injuries to key players and some inconsistencies during the campaign have led to six draws and losses in the Scottish Premiership under the Irishman; however, his side’s mental fortitude has been an impressive feature over the last few months.
Domestically, Celtic have lost just one of their last 22 matches across all competitions, with the outlier being a controversial defeat away to Heart of Midlothian at Tynecastle in early March.
Now, on course to win a third league title in swift succession, there has to be a moment to pay homage to Rodgers’ incredible Glasgow Derby record, which has also become a key feature of his two spells as manager.
Factoring in last weekend’s 2-1 triumph over Rangers, the 51-year-old has picked up three wins and a draw against his side’s city rivals, who have never held the lead in any of the four fixtures.
On a wider point, Rodgers has prevailed 13 times, drawn three and lost just one of his 17 matches against his main adversary during his time in Glasgow, a remarkable achievement in the grand scheme of things [Transfermarkt].
Alan Stubbs on why Celtic are in a commanding league position
The Bhoys’ journey to the brink of league success hasn’t occurred overnight; however, Alan Stubbs believes the main reason his old side is in pole position is due to their exploits in the Glasgow Derby.
Speaking on the Scottish Football Podcast, the 52-year-old cited Celtic’s ‘technical’ quality as a reason why Rodgers’ men appear to have one over Philippe Clement’s outfit right now.
Stubbs stated: “He certainly does (have one over Philippe Clement), there’s no doubt about that. When you look back at the season, we’ve always said that whether it’s this season or 20 years ago, the Old Firm games will more often than not decide where the league goes.
“Celtic’s performances and results are the reason why they’re in the position they are in. From a Rangers point of view, you look at the job Philippe Clement’s done, and overall, you would say he’s definitely improved things, but when you look in a week’s time or two weeks time when the season is finished, he’s only a point better off than when he took over.
“I don’t think at times Celtic have been great and I know he’s building the club and I’m sure they’ll be a lot of players moving on from Rangers in the summer, but I look at Rangers and I think they’re a different style to Celtic.
“Celtic want to play around you, and they’re a lot more technical, whereas I think Rangers have become a much more physical team.”
Celtic will be desperate to defeat Rangers in the Scottish Cup final
Narratives from this season could slightly diverge depending on the result of the Scottish Cup final come May 25th, where Celtic take on Rangers at Hampden at 3 pm.
Celtic, should they win the title this week, could secure a domestic double at the national stadium; meanwhile, their city rivals will also want to claim more silverware before the campaign concludes.
The Scottish Premiership is the main prize north of the border; however, every trophy is important, and the Bhoys have an opportunity to cap off 2023/24 with a final flourish.
