Brendan Rodgers off Celtic 'death watch' as boss pours praise on players who proved no fans is no problem

Brendan Rodgers reckons he’s off death watch after Celtic stood like men to deliver a cherished win at Ibrox.

The Parkhead boss poured praise onto his troops after their hard-fought 1-0 success. Kyogo Furuhashi’s magnificent first-half strike sealed the deal as the champions moved back to the summit of the Premiership and four points clear of Rangers. Rodgers’ team went into the Govan cauldron with no fans and didn't buckle as they forged a win to make their supporters proud.

It was a massive triumph for the manager after poor displays against Kilmarnock and St Johnstone brought some criticism. Rodgers answered that perfectly and he smiled: “I understand I have been placed on death watch by the media, but whatever the result, I’m an experienced manager now and I’m staying calm. It was a fantastic result for us. When you look at the squad, we had here and half our team missing, we needed the players to play like men and they did that.

“When there is not a single supporter there for you, then you know you have to be a man. In the first half, we were very good on the ball, we got the goal we deserved and it’s a goal that I have said to the players about doing the dirty bit.

“Matt O’Riley makes a great header and, all of a sudden, we are in and it is brilliant finishing. In the second half, I have never been here and not had pressure and it is about standing up to that.

“The players were absolutely magnificent and there were a few moments we could have killed the game off. We had three breakaway that we should finish, so it should have been more convincing for us, but a brilliant win and exactly what the group needed.”

Celtic were missing key men such as Cameron Carter-Vickers and Reo Hatate, deadline-day signings Nat