Prior to the game at Ibrox, Celtic had won four and drawn one of their last five encounters with the Rangers, including two wins at Hampden Park that denied their rivals any major trophy this season. The Hoops’ dominance extended beyond the derby as they comfortably clinched the Scottish Premiership title.
Ange Postecoglou’s side has lost only two matches in 35 league matches this season till now, showcasing remarkable consistency and intensity throughout the entire campaign. The latter of those defeats was at Ibrox at the hands of the Rangers.
Of course, in the grand scheme of things, the result meant nothing as the league was already won. But the fans were left disappointed in the manner of the loss.
Celtic hero, John Hartson, marked his former club’s approach as passive. But overly, he did not sound too concerned with the result.
Celtic legend sends blunt message to Rangers despite derby win
Taking the broader perspective into account, Hartson, although unhappy with the result of the recent Glasgow Derby, also pointed out that the league title was already won. As reported by 67 Hail Hail, he said while speaking on The Go Radio Football Show:
"“I thought Celtic were passive on the day. But what you’ve got to remember as well is that when Celtic took to the game at Ibrox on Saturday is that the championship trophy was sitting at Celtic Park.“I think they might well have took their eye off the ball slightly and thought well, the job is done. All right, the supporters might not see it quite like that in terms of they always want to go up against their big rivals and perform. But perform they have all season against other teams.“This is the sixth game and Rangers’ first win against them. So all I’m saying is Rangers deserve to win the game on the day. But let’s not forget that the job was done. Celtic were home and hosed in terms of the title. And I just thought they might have took their eye off the ball on that day in particular.”"
It is evident that Hartson recognises the overall success of Celtic and their success in outshining their rivals in previous contests this season. While the defeat in the Glasgow Derby may have been disappointing, the focus on the bigger picture suggests an understanding of the team’s commendable efforts throughout the campaign.
With the league title firmly in their grasp and a strong record against the Rangers in their recent history, Celtic can draw upon their previous accomplishments as a source of motivation and determination moving forward. They still have the chance to win a treble this season, with the Scottish Cup final coming up next month. The Hoops also have a Champions League group stage run to look forward to in the upcoming campaign.