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Celtic: Noel Whelan believes Hoops will bounce back from derby defeat
Celtic have been left reeling from their 0-2 defeat at Parkhead in yesterday’s Old Firm derby, which has left them four points off the pace in the Premiership.
Neil Lennon did not have a full squad available for the defeat to Rangers, with key players like Ryan Christie and Odsonne Edouard missing, and this seemed to affect the Hoops as they did not have a shot on target during the whole match.
However, former Aberdeen striker Noel Whelan does not believe it is all doom and gloom for the Hoops. He believes there is one reason why Lennon and the Parkhead faithful need not unduly worry.
What Whelan had to say about Celtic following the Old Firm defeat
Speaking to Football Insider, Whelan said, “Celtic have got that bouncebackability, they always have had that have Celtic. Neil Lennon wouldn’t have been looking to bring that into play though, that bouncebackability.
“Psychologically, this is the biggest achievement you’re going to get as Rangers. It’s not going to determine where the title’s going to go, this early in the season, but what it will do is give you that edge.”
Will this loss impact Celtic’s season massively?
What will frustrate the Hoops massively is that they now need their rivals to slip up in order to leapfrog them at the summit. They now sit four points behind Rangers with just the one game in hand.
However, they are only ten games into the season, and with both sides already dropping points this term, the Hoops should still feel like they can climb above their rivals. Indeed, after losing the same fixture last December, they won eight and drew one of their subsequent nine league games en route to winning the title.
They have shown the wherewithal to shake off derby defeats in the recent past and, having won the last nine league titles, they shouldn’t struggle for self-belief. Thursday night’s Europa League clash against AC Milan offers a swift chance to put yesterday’s disappointment behind them.
Hoops fans, will Celtic bounce back strongly from yesterday? Let us know your views by commenting below!
