Purring Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers hails star's arrogance, rates best goal in rout and assesses Rangers title race
Celtic manager reacts to 6-0 win over Dundee
Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers hailed his team's hunger and relentlessness as they trounced Dundee 6-0 to move 13 points clear of Rangers at the top of the Premiership with 13 games to play.
Arne Engels and Daizen Maeda bagged doubles, while Adam Idah and Nicolas Kuhn also got on the scoresheet as Celtic put six past a Scottish team for the third time this season. Rodgers admitted that the result and current situation in the league leaves his team well placed in their bid to retain their crown.
"I thought from minute one to the 93rd minute we were outstanding in the game," said Rodgers. "The team was hungry. I think that we knew when we played Dundee before [a 3-3 draw last month] that we were okay going forward. We scored three goals but defensively it wasn't quite good enough. We had seven games in 21 days so we just weren't concentrating on our defending. But tonight you see we hunted the game in packs and numbers around the ball winning it back and that just to sustain the attacks. Some of our goals was a joy to see."
Rodgers was asked which of the goals he rated the best, and he responded: "I think Daizen's [second] was a great goal. Why? Because it starts right in the very corner. We're under pressure. Dundee are there, they want to press. We stay calm, we connect the game, take it out, get it out the other side. Arne's pass and then probably no one would see Daizen scoring a goal like that. But what a finish it was.
"So yeah, that was a great goal. As was Nic's [Kuhn]. And in fairness to Trevor [Carson] in the Dundee goal, you can't really do anything about all the goals. The goals were of the highest quality."
On where Celtic are placed in the title race, Rodgers continued: "We can't complain because I think that until this moment now, we've had an absolutely outstanding season. Thirteen games left, 13 points clear, a big goal difference, which is always worth a point in itself. I've always said it's really narrowing in the focus at this point of the season. Keep your hunger, keep your humility and keep thinking of performance.
"That was the message this evening. It's about winning and we know that, but it's about performing and when we perform we can play well and win games. So we're in a good place but modern day culture is all about the next game. So we'll get ready now for Raith."
Rodgers also hailed Jota in his first game at Parkhead since returning, adding: "I'd obviously seen him before from the outside looking in and then I've seen him train and work but he's a big player, so I can't wait for him to get up to the level in terms of that football fitness. He's missed a lot of football, hasn't played a great deal but he's a class act.
"The way he takes the ball, he has a lovely arrogance with the ball. But like you say, he's effective. He doesn't just look a good player, he is a good player. He can beat people and make a pass, make a cross, make a shot and he's a big talent."
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