“A year ago, that result would have gone the other way” – Rodgers reflects on Celtic’s Growth

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers was full of praise for his side after a hard-fought win over a Kilmarnock side who also impressed the Irishman.

Derek McInnes’ side pushed the Hoops as much as they could without scoring.

However, the elite mentality of this current Celtic side shone through, with Rodgers highlighting the journey the Celtic players have been on over the past year.

Rodgers said: (BBC Sport), “We had to deal with a lot of pressure and direct balls, and deal with a lot of duels. But to keep a clean sheet and work that hard, especially after midweek, then show moments of quality to get goals, I’m very proud of the team.

“They play a pressure Game, and we had to be strong and aggressive and show our spirit and to get the three points is very pleasing.

“A year ago, that result would maybe have gone the other way, but that was a real test of some different qualities and we came through it so it shows the team is in a good place.”

Kilmarnock, as they often do under McInnes, made the most of the artificial pitch with a direct style of play aimed at the strikers, attempting to keep the ball in the air.

When Celtic had possession, Kilmarnock went man-for-man in a brave approach they have frequently used against the Hoops, which at times has proven successful.

However, Rodgers managed his team through the Game with patience, highlighting just how much the players have matured over the last 12 months.

Last season, they might have lost this match, but today, against the odds, they secured a 2-0 win through hard work and weathering pressure.

The key takeaway is the significance of these three points in the Scottish Premiership title race with the win taking Celtic top.