Soccer

Old Firm reaction: ‘We actually could’ve had a few more goals’

‘Compare that 5-1 today to the 5-1 earlier in the season, there’s a big difference for me’

Celtic fans celebrate during their team’s 5-1 win at Ibrox. Photograph: PA

Sat Apr 29 2017 - 14:49

Kieran Tierney said Celtic could have scored more after dishing out one final dose of humiliation to Rangers with a 5-1 Ibrox rout which took them to within five games of a blemish-free domestic campaign.

Brendan Rodgers’ undefeated troops outclassed a feeble Rangers line-up from start to finish in the sixth and final Old Firm game of the season.

Early goals from Scott Sinclair and Leigh Griffiths robbed the hosts of any belief they had before Callum McGregor, Dedryk Boyata and Mikael Lustig's second-half strikes handed Celtic their biggest Govan win since 1898. Kenny Miller's late strike was of no consolation.

“That was brilliant. Everybody’s performed 100 per cent,” Tierney told Sky Sports. “We actually could have had a few more goals. We played brilliant today.”

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Hoops skipper Scott Brown added: “The lads were outstanding from start to finish.

“We’ve come here twice and we’ve won twice so it shows you everyone is looking as sharp as they possibly can.”

The win was Celtic’s fifth in the six games between the sides this season — only a 1-1 draw at Parkhead last month preventing a clean sweep — and manager Rodgers was full of praise for his side.

“We were exceptional,” he said.

“A great start to the game. Some of our football was exceptional, good combinations. Very pleasing and another three points.

“We’ve had to earn it, we had to fight. You compare that 5-1 today to the 5-1 earlier in the season and there’s a big difference for me in terms of organisation and players understanding what we want them to do. We’re performing at a good level.”

Rangers manager Pedro Caixinha conceded his side had been outclassed.

“After a 5-1 defeat you have not that much to say,” he said. “They were better, they deserved to win.

“We really believed the players can do it, but it just took five minutes — everything was wrong.

“The man responsible is me — the players did everything they worked on, they were ready to do it.

“I take responsibility for everything.”

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