Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers has plenty of experience in fighting for trophies as he leads the Bhoys into the final stretch of the campaign.
With just six Scottish Premiership matches remaining, Celtic sit a point ahead of Rangers and will have the chance to open up a four-point advantage on Saturday at home to St Mirren.
In unusual circumstances, Rangers’ trip to Dundee was postponed once again last night due to rainfall at Dens Park, meaning we now have a chance to heap real pressure on our rivals’ shoulders ahead of their trip to Ross County the following day.
Psychology isn’t everything in a title race, though it can certainly play a part, and Rodgers will know all too well what happens when you miss out by the skin of your teeth.
Back in 2013/14, he took Liverpool two within two points of their first Premier League title since the reformation of the English top-flight.
Going through an unfortunate capitulation, a 2-0 defeat at home to Chelsea (famed for Steven Gerrard’s slip) followed by a 3-3 draw at Crystal Palace despite being 3-0 up ensured Manchester City claimed first prize.
It should be said that the Anfield side had a remarkable team then, and Rodgers will have learned some valuable lessons to apply in his future coaching career.
Brendan Rodgers on Liverpool experience and Celtic hopes
Since leaving Liverpool, Rodgers achieved seven successive trophies in his first spell at Celtic before bringing an FA Cup home in his time at Leicester City, an extraordinary triumph in the circumstances.
Now back at Parkhead, he is expected to secure a domestic double before the end of this campaign. Speaking to Celtic TV, the 51-year-old has opened up on his previous experiences with Liverpool and hopes for our remaining league fixtures.
Rodgers stated [Celtic TV]: “I think the learning from it was not to be too emotional. The emotion is fine and this title race really makes us better. It’s so important to be able to control that emotion. It’s a choice. You want the excitement and dreams, absolutely. That’s what being a supporter is all about. From a football perspective, it’s about finding that calmness.
“We play a game with emotion, we play with a tactical idea and a high level of technique of course, but mentally you need to be stable when everything around you can feel chaotic. But I think the team is now coming into a really, really good place.
“We showed that at the weekend that we have the heart, fight and desire to go to the most toughest arenas that you can ever go to as a Celtic player and get a result from it.
“Now, we’re arriving into the next six games and have an opportunity to really reinforce that, and that’s something that we aim to do.”
Celtic proved they can more than match Rangers in the Glasgow Derby last Sunday, whetting our appetite for another crack at Philippe Clement’s outfit at Parkhead post-split.
Of course, St Mirren lay in wait this weekend before our fixtures on the other side of the schedule, though we know that six league victories will be enough to ensure Rodgers’ men claim first spot when all is said and done.
