BRENDAN RODGERS has enjoyed a record SIXTEEN victories in his 20 derby duels.
It’s an extraordinary sequence that not even the legendary Jock Stein can match.
The latest celebration against Rangers came last month as Celtic lifted the Premier Sports League Cup 5-4 on penalty-kicks following a 3-3 draw after extra-time.
The Celtic manager has also seen his side held on three league occasions while suffering a solitary reverse.
In his debut campaign at Parkhead, the Irishman guided the Hoops to ten triumphs over the city rivals and has added handsomely to that tally in his comeback campaign.
THE VICTOR AND THE VANQUISHED…Brendan Rodgers and Philippe Clement on the Hampden touchline as Celtic head for a Scottish Cup Final triumph on May 25.
In his first year after returning in June 2023, Rodgers guided the champions to three league wins – two at Parkhead and one at Ibrox – while there was also a 3-3 draw in Govan.
The gaffer masterminded a 2-1 success in the east end of Glasgow on May 11 which propelled Celtic towards their third successive title – and twelfth crown in 13 years – and he followed up a fortnight later with a 1-0 win in the Scottish Cup Final.
Adam Idah thumped in the late winner to hoist Rodgers’ total to 14.
That was hoisted to 15 on September 1 as Celtic triumphed 3-0 in the first derby duel of the new crusade with Daizen Maeda, Kyogo Furuhashi and Callum McGregor netting the goals that flattened the Ibrox visitors.
And Maeda was among the scorers at Hampden last month as Rodgers took his personal tally to 16 on the day the Hoops lifted their 119th trophy to become the world’s most successful club.
Greg Taylor and Nicolas Kuhn were also on target as the encounter finished 3-3 after extra-time, but the victory was secured with a 5-4 success in the penalty-kick shoot-out.
ONE MAN AND HIS TROPHY…Brendan Rodgers walks off the Hampden pitch after last month’s Premier Sports League Cup success over his Ibrox foes.
RODGERS’ RECORD:
September 10, 2016: Premiership: CELTIC 5 (Dembele 3, Sinclair, Armstrong), Rangers 1 (Garner);
October 23: League Cup semi-final: CELTIC 1 (Dembele), Rangers 0;
December 31: Premiership: Rangers 1 (Miller), CELTIC 2 (Dembele, Sinclair);
March 12, 2017: Premiership: CELTIC 1 (Armstrong), Rangers 1 (Hill);
April 23: Scottish Cup semi-final: CELTIC 2 (McGregor, Sinclair pen), Rangers 0;
April 29: Premiership: Rangers 1 (Miller), CELTIC 5 (Sinclair pen, Griffiths, McGregor, Boyata, Lustig);
September 23: Premiership: Rangers 0, CELTIC 2 (Rogic, Griffiths);
December 30: Premiership: CELTIC 0, Rangers 0;
March 11, 2018: Premiership: Rangers 2 (Windass, Candeias), CELTIC 3 (Rogic, Dembele, Edouard);
April 15: Scottish Cup semi-final: CELTIC 4 (Rogic, McGregor, Dembele pen, Ntcham pen), Rangers 0;
April 29: Premiership: CELTIC 5 (Edouard 2, Forrest, Rogic, McGregor), Rangers 0;
September 2: Premiership: CELTIC 1 (Ntcham), Rangers 0;
December 29: Premiership: Rangers 1 (Jack), CELTIC 0;
September 3, 2023: Premiership: Rangers 0, CELTIC 1 (Kyogo);
December 30: Premiership: CELTIC 2 (Bernardo, Kyogo), Rangers 1 (Tavernier);
April 7, 2024: Premiership: Rangers 3 (Tavernier pen, Sima, Matondo), CELTIC 3 (Maeda, O’Riley pen, Idah;
May 11: Premiership: CELTIC 2 (O’Riley, Lundstram og), Rangers 1 (Dessers);
May 25: Scottish Cup Final: CELTIC 1 (Idah), Rangers 0.
September 1: Premiership: CELTIC 3 (Maeda, Kyogo, McGregor), Rangers 0.
December 15: Premier Sports League Cup Final: CELTIC 3 (Taylor, Maeda, Kuhn), Rangers 3 (Bajrami, Diamande, Danilo); Celtic win 5-4 on penalty-kicks (aet).
