Ross County 0 - Celtic 4: Brendan Rodgers defends Craig Gordon as Hoops run riot
BRENDAN RODGERS last night defended kung-fu keeper Craig Gordon, after Ross County boss Jim McIntyre insisted Celtic should have been down to nine men.
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The Hoops – with eight changes from the weekend win against Rangers – earned a hard-fought 4-0 win in Dingwall with goals from Patrick Roberts, Stuart Armstrong, Scott Sinclair and Moussa Dembele.
But at 1-0 down, County argued that Leigh Griffiths should have seen red for a kick at Andrew Davies and Gordon’s high tackle outside the box on Liam Boyce merited a dismissal.
McIntyre said: “There were a couple of key decisions where I’m scratching my head wondering why we are not getting them.
“First, it was definitely a second booking on Leigh Griffiths – he has a wee swipe at Andrew Davies, but we don’t get it. If that’s our player, he’s off.
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Brendan Rodgers was pleased with Celtic's display against Ross County
“Then you had Craig Gordon’s challenge – it’s high, it’s dangerous, it’s reckless. If an outfield player went in that high, he’d go off the park.”
Rodgers – who had to stand up for Gordon after a similar tackle in the League Cup win against Alloa earlier in the campaign – said: “I can see why Jim was upset, but I saw it at the time and their player is going away from goal.
“We ask Craig to have a high starting position and press the game and hence the reason for the long ball.
“He’s done it before – he’s making a habit of it and giving me questions to answer.
“There were two or three players behind the ball.
“I thought the ref was excellent, but of course if you are a Ross County supporter then you want the man to go.
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Craig Gordon was lucky to remain on the pitch after a high challenge
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“With a calm head and a look at the replay they will see it’s a yellow card.”
Rodgers reckons his team go to Pittodrie on Saturday in fine fettle.
Scott Brown will return after being given time off following the birth of his third son.
The Celtic gaffer said: “He is getting together his wee five-a-side football team.
“That is three boys he’s got now.
“He wanted to come but I told him to look after his wife – family is more important than football.
“It is nice for him to get a breather. He is going to go into the Aberdeen game super fit and fresh and strong and now a father of three.”
On the win he added: “We kept a clean sheet and as good teams do we started the game quickly and finished strongly and produced a very good performance.”