Brendan Rodgers wants League Cup crown to frank swift start

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers is looking for tangible proof of their impressive start to the season when they take on Rangers in the Premier Sports Cup final on Sunday.

Rodgers' side have only lost once in 24 games this season, sit nine points clear in the William Hill Premiership and are well-placed to qualify for the Champions League knockout phase play-offs.

Their unbeaten domestic record stretches back 30 matches but the League Cup trophy is the one domestic cup which has not been in their cabinet over the past 12 months.

Rangers are the holders and have the chance to build on recent improvements by winning the second cup of Philippe Clement’s reign.

Rodgers said: "Well, we don’t have it, so that is something that we didn’t take last season, and clearly it’s the first trophy of the season. We’ve had a brilliant season up until now, and this would be a great way to have something tangible to show for that.

"But you have to earn it, and that’s what we’re ready for."

Clement came under major pressure after drifting 11 points behind Celtic in the league but there have been clear signs of improvement in recent weeks and their impressive Europa League campaign continued on Thursday with a 1-1 draw against Tottenham.

"I watched the game (on Thursday) night, and I thought they did very well in the game," Rodgers said. "I thought it was a really good game to watch.

"But, yes, it’s always about dealing with expectation in these games, and how you can bring the level that you want to within the game.

"So, I think for Rangers, they’ll want to bring the level that they’ve been at over these last three or four games. For us, it’s about that consistency, which we’ve shown right the way through from our pre-season. We want to continue with