Celtic: Jota makes brilliant claim about title race vs Rangers

Most Celtic fans would have been nervous going into the first Glasgow Derby of the season. Yes, the Hoops might have gotten a 3-0 win vs the Rangers last season, but Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s side had shown improvements in their previous two meetings, winning one and drawing the other. They were also fresh off of qualifying for the UEFA Champions League. Thus, all signs pointed towards this being a tight game of football.

Well, the signs were pointing in the wrong direction. Just like last season, Celtic put three unanswered goals past the Rangers in the first half itself and then, even got a fourth in the second half. The match finished 4-0 and sent the Hoops five points clear at the top.

So, while we might be in September, the Rangers have already been left with a mountain to climb in the Scottish Premiership title race.

Jota is not taking anything for granted though. As reported by 67 Hail Hail, when asked about the win and what it meant in the context of a title race, Celtic’s superstar from Portugal told BBC Scotland:

"“No, come on, this is September. This is too early. Last season people kept on saying they were in front of us, and the championship was done.“Things don’t work like that, this is football. It is game after game. Until May, there is plenty of football to play. So, just chill. We have plenty of stuff to do.”"

Jota makes brilliant claim about title race vs Rangers after 4-0 Celtic win

We have been here before, but last time around, the shoe was on the other foot. Celtic were the ones who were left behind at the start of the previous campaign and trailed the Rangers by a gap even bigger than the current five points.

Yet, the Hoops were able to climb the mountain facing them and ended up winning the Premiership by four points.

Thus, nobody will know better than Celtic that this kind of a lead can be overturned through the course of a season. And that knowledge will serve them well. Jota’s comments after the 4-0 win over the Rangers shows that they are not starting to get complacent.

There is a long way to go in the title race. But as far as starts go, this has been a fantastic one.