'Gutless' Celtic kick Rodgers on the backside and now face uncharacteristically critical crowd – Hugh Keevins

Gutless. Not a word that can often be applied to a Celtic side working under Brendan Rodgers’ management

But, in the combative environment of the Old Firm fixture at Ibrox on Thursday afternoon, Brendan had the majority of his troops given a dishonourable discharge because of cowardice in the line of fire. Valour was in short supply on a day when there were more chicken hearts than you’d find on a poultry farm.

It would be an insult to your own intelligence to suggest a comprehensive defeat from Rangers is the beginning of the collapse of all time for Celtic in the Premiership title race. If Rodgers somehow contrived to fail in the defence of the title won for the last three seasons, and from a leading position that was 14 points at its high-water mark, it would make him a laughing stock in the coaching world.

And Brendan’s had enough setbacks to be going on with for one week. If Celtic had defeated Rangers, the manager would have overtaken Martin O’Neill when it came to wins against their greatest rivals – a distinction that would have added to his legend status at the club.

Rodgers bent down to have that particular medal placed around his neck – then his own team kicked him on the backside. Now he and his players will come out to face an uncharacteristically critical crowd this afternoon when they face St Mirren at Celtic Park.

Old Firm derbies are about the day on which they take place. Context is an alien concept. Rangers fans delighted in the novelty aspect of their team’s derby win because they have been on the receiving end of several losses of late.

They didn’t concern themselves with any wider implications the result might, or might not, have had. The Celtic supporters, for their part, didn’t see the outcome