Manager: Players deserve great praise for performance against St Mirren | OneFootball

Brendan Rodgers was pleased to see his side return to winning ways as they produced an impressive performance to beat St Mirren 3-0 at Celtic Park today (Sunday).

The victory, courtesy of goals from Auston Trusty and a double from Nicolas Kuhn, sees Celtic extend their lead at the top of the Premiership table to 13 points, and the manager praised his players for their response to the derby defeat on Thursday.

Speaking after the game, Brendan Rodgers said: “The performance was very good and it was everything that we would want – big effort, good concentration, very good goals and creative, so I was very pleased.

“Everyone who’s watched us over the past 12 months wouldn’t have recognised us at Ibrox, so it’s then about the response and the response today was really good against a team that we’ve seen all season is well-coached, well-managed and make it really difficult for teams.

“So for us to play and then have that level of comfort in the game, but not feeling the comfort – wanting to keep pouring forward. To get that was really pleasing.

Nicolas Kuhn’s goals today have taken his tally for the season to 16, and it was another impressive showing from the German winger who has made an important contribution throughout this season.

“He was very good today, great speed for the first goal and persistence for his second goal, so he’s a player that’s improving,” the manager said.

“He’s still got more improvement for me that needs to come, but from where he was at when he first came in to now, he’s been a really consistent performer so I’m really pleased with that.”

Next up for Celtic is the visit of Dundee United to Celtic Park this Wednesday night, and Brendan Rodgers believes his players deserves great credit for their efforts this season, both domestically and in Europe.

“If you think of the climb to be champion at the end, there are various stage-posts along the climb,” he explained.

“You think of pre-season and the block of work we put it was great. That gave us a great base. We then push on, we start well and do well in Europe to this point, which is great.

“Our next one is the League Cup, and we win that, and then we arrive at the halfway point with 16 wins, two draws and one loss, so that’s brilliant. It’s a great place.

“Now it’s the next part of the climb – and we’ve played 20 games, we’re 13 points clear, amidst an incredible run of games where so much is required, we’re in a really good place.

“So the team is doing great, consistently well and so proud how they responded today.”

Fixtures

Celtic Vs. St. Mirren - Sun, Jan 5th 2025, 15:00 Final score: 3 - 0 Match Report