Celtic vs Rangers LIVE: Lundstram staredown, Postecoglou on surprise Rod Stewart visit, Old Firm reaction latest
CELTIC are in a really strong position to win the Premiership title after sharing the points with Rangers at Parkhead.
Jota had fired the home side into the lead before Fashion Sakala netted a second half equaliser.
The Light Blues striker smashed a low effort off Joe Hart's post as the away side pushed for the winner on derby day.
However, things turned sour at the end of the game as fans lobbed missiles at one another.
Both clubs released statements of their own and eight arrests were made by cops as the derby rivals clashed for the final time this campaign.
- Alan Galindo
BORNA AGAIN
Borna Barisic has labelled Rangers' game with RB Leipzig as their 'biggest game of the season'.
The Light Blues trail the Bundesliga outfit 1-0 going into the Europa League semi-final second leg at Ibrox on Thursday night.
He said: "Listen, this is now our biggest game of the season on Thursday.
"We know what we need to do, we know how they play. We know how they played in Germany will be different at Ibrox.
"We cannot wait for that game to show energy, to show desire, to try to qualify for the final.
"We know the fans will help our performance for sure. They'll be behind us like always.
"It's on us now to perform on Thursday. I expect a very, very good atmosphere and we'll see what happens. We'll give everything to win the game."
- Alan Galindo
ALL HART
Joe Hart insists Celtic still have work to do in their bid to win the Premiership.
He said: "Look you're never going to get me to sit here and say that but I think we've worked very hard to be in this position.
"We've come through a lot and we're pleased with where we are and we've got a job to do. And that continues.
"This league is not set up for us to win it. There is opposition out there, there are other teams trying to do it.
"Rangers mathematically are still in this fight. They're never going to lie down.
"This fixture wouldn't allow them to lie down and that's why it's such a great fixture to be involved in."
- Alan Galindo
JOB NOT DONE
Jota insists Celtic's bid to win the Premiership title is NOT done and they will be ready to go into battle with Hearts next week.
He told Celtic TV: The job's not done. We keep on going. We rest and then next week we go again.
"It's game after game. We know how important the next one is, so we keep on, we don't give up, we get together the troops and we go into battle next week."
He continued: "It's always a tough game against Rangers so we tried our best. We wanted to win but, unfortunately, we didn't.
"Our style of game always aims for goals and pressing and keeping after them, but unfortunately we didn't score again after the first goal.
"We kept on trying and then we conceded a goal. But the main thing to think about all of this is that we didn't give up."
- Craig Mahood
Big bad John
John Lundstram's reputation on the park continues to grow.
Off it, Rangers fans' will soar after his latest moment.
Gers supporters loved a clip circulating social media showing Lundstram staring down jeering Celtic supporters.
The incident came after the game when the 28-year-old was leaving Parkhead for the coach home.
Despite a barrage of boos and insults, Lundstram smiled, stared back and kept on walking.
- Alan Galindo
SURPRISE AT THE DOOR
Ange Postecoglou has also revealed the time Rod Stewart rocked up at his door and gave him a hug.
The Celtic-daft rocker is a regular at Parkhead and showed his appreciation and love for the current Hoops gaffer.
He revealed the surprise visit as he opened up on the Celtic fans' adaptation of 'Last Christmas' by Wham! to include his name.
He added: “My wife was horrified.
“My kids actually think that is how the Christmas song goes.
“They have never heard George Michael’s version so it was horrifying for my wife hearing my two boys signing that song at Christmas time with my name in it. It is all a bit surreal.
“Before one of the recent games I had a knock on my door and Rod Stewart came in and gave me a hug. That goes to show you how well worlds change."
- Alan Galindo
DRINK TO THAT
Ange Postecoglou admits he isn't looking too far ahead and is taking each game as it comes in Celtic's bid to win the Premiership.
Sunday's 1-1 draw with Rangers leaves the Hoops six points clear at the top with just three games left to play as they close in on the league crown.
Postecoglou says it will be a special moment when the time comes and he intends to crack open some of his Scottish whiskey selection in celebration.
Speaking on ABC TV's Offsiders programme, he said: “It is the whole one game at a time sort of headset I have got on at the moment.
"I am not looking too far ahead.
“We still have a couple of steps to go. It will be special.
“I have already got a fairly decent collection of some fine Scottish whiskey.
“If it does happen then I will break open a couple of the special ones and have a couple of the quiet ones."
- Craig Mahood
More from Commons
Commons believes Celtic were there for the taking and were LUCKY to get a point.
He added: “Celtic were there for the taking.
“In the end, they were lucky to draw. Fashion Sakala could quite easily have had a hat-trick on a different day.
“Ryan Kent also missed a good chance, while Joe Hart produced a great save to deny Scott Arfield in the second half.
“Don't get me wrong, Celtic missed a few chances of their own. But if we're talking about how Postecoglou can improve this team, the defence looks to be an obvious starting point.
“There's no doubt Carl Starfelt has improved over the course of the season from the player who first arrived in Glasgow last summer.
“He can look good at times and, in fairness, he dealt with a lot of danger really well yesterday. But he still makes me nervous."
- Craig Mahood
'Glass jaw'
Celtic's defence has been pinpointed as an area of concern for Ange Postecoglou by former star Kris Commons.
He branded the key part of the side as Celtic's 'glass jaw' despite having the meanest defence in the Premiership this season.
He told the Daily Mail: “There have been some games this season where they have enjoyed well over 80 per cent of possession. It's incredible to watch when they are in full flow.
“But there's still a nervousness and a fragility to their defence against teams with a bit more quality and bravery to engage them higher up the pitch.
“We've seen it all season. In conceding 15 times across six games in the group stage of the Europa League, Postecoglou's side shipped more goals than any other team in the competition.
“Bodo/Glimt then ran riot in the Europa Conference League, beating Celtic 5-1 on aggregate over the two legs.
“There's a glass jaw to this Celtic team and we saw it once again against Rangers yesterday. Plainly, Rangers will be kicking themselves that they didn't leave Parkhead with three points."
- Alan Galindo
AWARDS SEASON
Liel Abada reacts after winning Celtic's Young Player of the Year award.
He said: “I am really happy.
“This is really a grand moment for me.
“I really want to say thank you to the fans, coaches and players who voted for me. Thank you everyone for the support.”
“I am really happy to be here.”
- Alan Galindo
'WONDERFUL'
Michael Stewart labelled Fashion Sakala's Rangers leveller against Celtic as 'wonderful'.
The Light Blues hitman superbly brought the Ibrox men level at Parkhead with a low-drive beyond Joe Hart.
It earned a share of the spoils on derby day and earned the plaudits of pundit Michael Stewart in the Sportscene studio.
Describing the goal, he said: “That is the danger when it is only 1-0.
“Just when Celtic looked as if they were finding a little form in the second half
“Rangers inject the pace into the attack, it’s really good play, one-touch, overload the wide area.
“It’s a wonderful finish from Sakala, he gets around the outside of Kent, the overload is there, bang, first time right in the bottom corner from Sakala.
“It is passed Joe Hart before he can react and get down.”
- Dylan Inglis
Hart: 'We dominated'
By Robert Grieve
Rangers fans will insist they deserved to win yesterday, but then Celtic also had chances in the first half after they had taken the lead.
Hoops stopper Joe Hart felt his side 'dominated' their Ibrox rivals.
He said: “I felt like we dominated but they are a hard team to put away.
“They are resilient, they are dangerous on the counter- attack and I think, with our aggressive style of play, if we are not two or three goals ahead people have always got a chance.
“But we stick by those foundations, stick by that way of playing football. It has won us more games than it has drawn us. It is what it is and we have another three big ones coming up.”
- Dylan Inglis
Unlucky says Boyd
By Colin Duncan
Kris Boyd reckons the result of the final Old Firm game didn’t matter for Gers, but he still believes they should have won it.
The Premiership’s record goalscorer insisted that Ryan Kent and Fashion Sakala should have converted golden chances.
He said: “Kent’s was an easier chance than the one Jota took to get his goal.
“He has got to score. Anthony Ralston’s body shape is the exact same as Borna Barisic. He has no clue Kent was there.
“It was a great second half for Rangers and they were the better team, but Sakala had a great opportunity to win it.
“His goal was a fantastic finish, but he was unlucky not to get a second. Rangers were very unfortunate not to win.”
- Dylan Inglis
Hart breaker
By Robert Grieve
IT was a moment in the match to give their supporters palpitations.
But Celtic’s Hart didn’t skip a beat.
Joe Hart made a crucial stop for Celtic Rangers star Scott Arfield must have thought the shot he had struck from Scott Wright’s cutback was destined for the net.
But there was no ordinary Joe between him and a goal. Joe Hart just isn’t sure how he managed to claw the ball away.
“Look, it is mayhem out there.
“I love playing football, love being in goal and sometimes you do things that you ideally don’t want to do, that you know you are better than.
“And sometimes you do things where your body and your instincts take over.
“I don’t know actuallywhat happened, I just know it stayed out.”
Joe Hart
- Dylan Inglis
'Gers kept momentum'
By Colin Duncan
Kris Boyd insisted avoiding defeat was all that mattered for Rangers ahead of their showdown with RB Leipzig on Thursday.
The ex-Gers hitman is convinced it was all about maintaining momentum with the league already out of their reach.
Boyd feels his old side would have been content to avoid any further injury set-backs.
He said: “Thursday is a massive game and the title was over anyway for Rangers. The most important thing was not getting beat. It was vital to leave with no injuries, and hopefully they will have Aaron Ramsey and Kemar Roofe back.
“That little blip after Christmas cost them the league — losing a two-goal lead to Motherwell then losing to Celtic.”
- Dylan Inglis
CALMAC LEADS THE WAY
Last but not least for The Hoops – Callum McGregor has been given the title of Player of the Year!
The captain has been a colossal figure in the heart of Ange Postecoglou's side this season.
And he's now been given individual recognition for his efforts too.
The 28-year-old picked up both the players and club POTY award, rounding off the night of awards for the Celts.
- Dylan Inglis
Award for Abada
Celtic have named Liel Abada as their Fans Young Player of the Year.
The tricky forward has 15 goals and nine assists to his name so far this season.
Hoops fans voted in the award and named the 20-year-old as their best performing youngster.
His season highlights include a dramatic 90th minute winner against Dundee United in January, and a strike against Rangers the month following.
- Ryan Rowe
Kyogo is goal king for Celts
Kyogo Furuhashi has picked up Celtic's top goalscorer award and goal of the season award.
The Hoops striker has notched 17 goals in all competitions since arriving from Vissel Kobe in the summer.
Kyogo Furuhashi won two prizes at Celtic's player pf the year doCredit: Alamy He's proved a fan favourite and goals like his winner against Hibs in the League Cup Final – which earned him the goal of the season gong – cemented that status.
- Dylan Inglis
Crowd chaos
CELTIC have hit back at a statement from Rangers criticising the police at today's Old Firm clash, claiming their own supporters were attacked with bottles and SEATS.
The Light Blues released an initial statement condemning a lack of action from cops that they said left their fans "unprotected" and led to injuries to elderly and disabled people.
The Parkhead club however claim seating from the stadium was ripped apart and launched towards fans and stewards.
They also talked about incidents from the Old Firm match at Ibrox last month.
- Dylan Inglis
Rest for Reo
Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou has given a response to the calls over Reo Hatate's fitness.
The Japanese international has had a persistent run of games for club and country as of late, leaving some fans to question whether he should be given more time to recover.
Asked whether his withdrawal today was a result of fatigue, Postecoglou responded:
“To a certain extent.
"For them, Matty O’Riley is 21-years-old and for Reo this is his first sort of journey outside of his own country and it has new challenges.
“I have said all along that there is a relentlessness when you play for this football club and you can’t rest on what you did last week or even the last pass or the last action. It’s constant and it’s always there.
“But you are never going to build that into players if you shield them away from it.
"This year my thoughts were just to expose as many of our players to it as I could. Earlier in the year we were throwing guys in without even training and the expectations are still there, you have to perform.”
Ange Postecoglou
- Dylan Inglis
What a hit
The PFA have picked Tom Rogic's Tannadice stunner from December as their goal of the season.
The Aussie faced firm competition for the award but came out on top at the award ceremony tonight.
Taking the ball just over the half-way line – a mazy run took the midfielder by three Dundee United jerseys on his way to the box.
With seemingly nobody able to stop him he continued on to the middle of the box before unleashing a curling finish into the bottom corner.
What an effort it was!
- Dylan Inglis
One step closer
Kyogo Furuhashi has reminded fans that his Celtic side are getting nearer and nearer to the league title.
The Japanese striker was brought off after 62 minutes in today's Old Firm – but he's clearly focused on the potentially title securing tie with Hearts next week already!
- Ryan Rowe
Welsh wins at Celtic POTY
Stephen Welsh has won Celtic's academy player of the year award.
The centre-half was a regular starter at the beginning of the season as Carl Starfelt took time to settle at Parkhead.
Stephen Welsh has scooped Celtic's young player of the year awardCredit: Kenny Ramsay Since then he has been a rotational player but his performances have remained solid.
The Hoops are hosting their annual awards night as we speak, with further announcements to come.
- Dylan Inglis
It's a must
Ange Postecoglou has to make permanent moves for Jota and Cameron Carter-Vickers his priority in the summer.
That's according to Rangers hero Neil McCann – who reckons the on-loan duo have become essential members of the Celtic squad.
23-year-old Jota was the one to net an early opener for The Hoops in today's Old Firm.
However, he and Carter-Vickers are both currently only on loan in at the club, and could return to their parent sides at the end of the current campaign.
McCann thinks the Parkhead club have to make sure both return to Postecoglou's squad next season.
- Dylan Inglis
Close Game
Joe Hart described Rangers as "proper opposition" as he talked up the importance of today's Old Firm in regards to the title race.
The goalkeeper praised his Light Blues opponents but also feels his side could've came out as worthy winners at the same time.
He said: "They're a good team. Champions last year, semi-finalists in a top European competition.
"We're playing against proper opposition and we worked hard to make those chances.
"No, we didn't take them. On another day, we could've been more comfortable but ultimately we weren't.
"Tight game, tight game."
- Dylan Inglis
Fan fallout
Rangers have hit out at the policing of today's Old Firm match at Celtic Park.
The Glasgow giants drew 1-1 on the pitch, but rumours circulated afterwards that supporters had thrown bottles and missiles at each other in the game's aftermath.
The Ibrox club had 800 fans backing them from the away corner of the ground.
But whilst their section was heavily flooded with Police presence, Rangers feel the authorities did nowhere near enough to keep supporters safe.
The statement even revealed elderly and disabled fans had been left needing treatment.
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