BRENDAN RODGERS has steered Celtic safely through an unbeaten trail in the first 10 games of the season to sit at the Premiership pinnacle.
The champions, bidding for their twelfth title in 13 years, have amassed 26 points, five ahead of their nearest challengers.
This time last year after the same number of league outings, his predecessor Ange Postecoglou had suffered one setback – a 2-0 loss to St Mirren in Paisley in September – but had achieved one more point with 27 following nine victories.
Interestingly, the Greek-Australian gaffer, now at Spurs, of course, had seen his team collect 35 goals, 12 more than Rodgers’ side.
Included in Postecoglou’s first 10 matches were the emphatic wins over Dundee United (9-0) and Hibs (6-1).
Here is a breakdown between the two managers over the same period.
ANGE POSTECOGLOU
July 31 2022
CELTIC 2 Aberdeen 0
Welsh, Jota
August 6
Ross County 1 CELTIC 3
Kyogo, Jenz, Abada
August 14
Kilmarnock 0 CELTIC 5
Kyogo, Jota, Jenz, Starfelt, Giakoumakis
August 21
CELTIC 2 Hearts 0
Kyogo, Giakoumakis
August 28
Dundee United 0 CELTIC 9
Kyogo (3), Abada (3), Jota, Juranovic, Starfelt
September 3
CELTIC 4 Rangers 0
Abada (2), Jota, Turnbull
September 18
St Mirren 2 CELTIC 0
OCTOBER 1
CELTIC 2 Motherwell 1
Kyogo, Hatate
October 8
St Johnstone 1 CELTIC 2
Considine (og), Giakoumakis
October 15
CELTIC 6 Hibs 1
Forrest (3), Giakoumakis (2), Maeda
Goals scored: 35
Goals conceded: 6
Goalscorers: Kyogo (7), Abada (6), Giakoumakis (5), Jota (4), Forrest (3), Jenz (2), Starfelt (2), Welsh (1), Juranovic (1), Turnbull (1), Hatate (1), Maeda (1), Own goal (1).
Shut-outs: 5
BRENDAN RODGERS
August 5 2023
CELTIC 4 Ross County 2
Turnbull (2, 1 pen), Kyogo, O’Riley
August 13
Aberdeen 1 CELTIC 3
Abada, Kyogo, O’Riley
August 26
CELTIC 0 St Johnstone 0
September 3
Rangers 0 CELTIC 1
Kyogo
September 16
CELTIC 3 Dundee 0
Turnbull (pen), Kyogo, O’Riley
September 23
Livingston 0 CELTIC 3
Hatate (pen), O’Riley, Maeda
September 30
Motherwell 1 CELTIC 2
Palma, O’Riley
October 7
CELTIC 3 Kilmarnock 1
Hatate, Palma, Taylor
October 22
Hearts 1 CELTIC 4
O’Riley, Maeda, Kyogo, Iwata
October 28
Hibs 0 CELTIC 0
Goals scored: 23
Goals conceded: 6
Goalscorers: O’Riley (6), Kyogo (5), Turnbull (3), Hatate (2), Maeda (2), Palma (2), Abada (1), Taylor (1), Iwata (1).
Shut-outs: 5
