Yang admits Celtic nerves have hindered start but Rangers result can kick-start Brendan Rodgers reign

Hyunjun Yang reckons a win over Rangers at Ibrox can ignite Celtic’s season.

The South Korean believes a huge week on-and-off the park can quickly blow away clouds of frustration. Yang got a first start for boss Brendan Rodgers and was filled with excitement at the big opportunity afforded to him for the clash against St Johnstone. However, by the end of the afternoon, there was the sound of boos inside the stadium as the creaking champions toiled and failed to win.

Coming hard on the heels of their Viaplay Cup exit at the hands of Kilmarnock, it was another bad day for Rodgers and his team. The manager had confessed in the build-up to the encounter that his squad was weaker now than the one which ended last term for previous gaffer Ange Postecoglou. Celtic fans got more evidence of that as they had to sit and suffer through a 90 minutes against Saints which lacked zip and fire.

Whilst Rodgers and the board now set about finding the new faces who will put the mojo back into the unit, the players have two massive moments coming inside the next week. Firstly, the draw for the group stage of the Champions League will see them pitted against the cream of the continent in Europe’s premier tournament.

Three days after their name comes out of the hat alongside the elite in Nyon, Celtic will head across Glasgow for the first derby of the season against Rangers. With two wins out of two from their opening Premiership matches against Ross County and Aberdeen, Yang and his team-mates could have been bouncing into this week with their tails up.

Instead, the sobering setbacks at Rugby Park and at home against the side from Perth have created a differing mood. Yang, however, is determined to see the positive aspects of the coming