GLASGOW:
Champions Celtic marked Brendan Rodgers’ return as manager with a 4-2 victory over Ross County, while Rangers crashed to a shock 1-0 defeat at Kilmarnock in the opening weekend of the Scottish Premiership season on Saturday.
Rodgers is back in charge of the Glasgow club after Ange Postecoglou’s departure for Tottenham in the close season.
After leaving Leicester by mutual consent prior to their relegation from the Premier League last term, Rodgers has opted to return to Scotland’s dominant force rather than stay south of the border in England.
The former Liverpool boss, confirmed as Celtic manager in June, won two Scottish titles, two Scottish Cups and three Scottish League Cups in his first spell at Parkhead between 2016 and 2019.
With Postecoglou having led Celtic to the domestic treble last season, Rodgers will be expected to maintain the Hoops’ dominance, while also looking to progress in the Champions League.
On the evidence of their comfortable start to the new season against Ross County, Rodgers’ side should be capable of emulating last season’s success under his predecessor.
Rodgers preferred David Turnbull to Reo Hatate in his first competitive match since returning and the midfielder vindicated his faith with two first-half goals.
The 24-year-old had not started a league game since November 12 last year.
Kyogo Furuhashi was also on the scoresheet for Celtic, with Matt O’Riley completing the hosts’ goal spree.
“I spoke to him in pre-season and told him it would be a shame if you don’t achieve what you can do at a club like this,” Rodgers said of man of the match Turnbull.
“You have the talent, but you have to be a working talent, and you have to be able to run and be aggressive in your game. If you can do that, then your qualities will come through.”
County’s players and manager Malky Mackay gave Celtic a guard of honour as they entered the field before Hoops substitute James Forrest raised the league flag to cheers from the sell-out crowd.
While Celtic lived up to their billing as title favourites, Rangers endured a worrying start to their bid to dethrone their Old Firm rivals.
Michael Beale’s lacklustre side had laboured in the first half at Rugby Park and there was no improvement after the break before they were stunned by Brad Lyons’ goal after 65 minutes.
The 26-year-old Northern Irishman pounced inside the box to fire home and Rangers were unable to respond.
It was a huge setback for Beale, who has signed nine new players in an attempt to close the gap on Celtic.
Beale knows the margin for error is already slim in the title race and now he must lift his players for the first leg of their Champions League qualifier against Servette at Ibrox on Wednesday.
“It’s a very poor opening day for us. We need to move forward very quickly,” Beale said.
“The excitement over the summer is going to be tempered. We have to show the fans and excite them and they have to get behind us, it works both ways.
“I expect us with the quality we have to execute in the moments we had. If we don’t, I expect a hard-fought away draw rather than coughing up a really poor goal.”
Elsewhere in Saturday’s action, Frankie McAvoy’s first game in charge of Hearts ended in a 2-0 victory at St Johnstone.
Yutaro Oda scored 15 minutes from full-time before Lawrence Shankland tapped home in the closing seconds.
Dundee marked their return to the top-flight with a 1-1 draw against Motherwell at Dens Park.
Livingston and Aberdeen shared the spoils after a goalless draw
