Celtic close in on title despite Sakala salvaging draw for Rangers

Victory would have sent Celtic nine points – and more than 20 goals – ahead of their oldest foes

Celtic’s Greg Taylor (right) and Daizen Maeda (left) celebrate the opening goal scored by team mate Jota during the cinch Premiership match at Celtic Park, Glasgow. Picture date: Sunday May 1, 2022. Jane Barlow/PA Wire.

It was fair enough that Celtic looked towards a bigger picture. Barring an extraordinary collapse from the position of six points and 19 goals ahead of Rangers with three games to play, Ange Postecoglou’s team will be crowned Scottish champions. 

At that point Postecoglou and the principal shareholder Dermot Desmond would be entitled to serve up humble pie to those who even in the early stages of this campaign derided Celtic’s prospects of upstaging their city rivals. Postecoglou’s quiet confidence and Desmond’s belief in this coach will ultimately win the day. It just hasn’t quite yet.