Celtic

Watch as the Sportscene team analyse manager Brendan Rodgers' impact as Celtic claim a 55th top-flight title.

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Celtic trio Callum McGregor, Daizen Maeda and Nicolas Kuhn are in the running for this season's PFA Scotland player of the year award.

Dundee's Simon Murray is the other player vying for the trophy while Celtic's Arne Engels, 21, is up for young player of the season along with Rangers' Hamza Igamane, Hearts' James Wilson and Motherwell's Lennon Miller.

Maeda and Murray top the Premiership scoring chart with 16 goals each, while Maeda also leads the way for assists, on nine with team-mate Alistair Johnston.

Kuhn is one behind with eight league assists and has scored 12 goals to boot.

Captain McGregor has just celebrated his tenth title success with Celtic.

The 31-year-old midfielder previously won the top prize in 2022.

Jonathan Sutherland
Sportscene presenter

Celtic secured their 55th league title with a thumping 5-0 victory over Dundee United at Tannadice on Saturday, and they have got four players in my team of the week as a result.

Alastair Johnston is always defensively sound and so often an attacking asset as he proved with an assist at Tannadice.

There was an impressive return to form for German winger Nicolas Kuhn. After a spell in the doldrums he was back to his dangerous best against United.

No goals for once but two assists and another wonderful display from my pick for player of the year Daizen Maeda.

Adam Idah took his two goals well. His overall performance this season has been much debated but at his best the Republic of Ireland international is a potent force.

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It's official, Celtic are Scottish Premiership champions for the 13th time in 14 seasons following their victory at Dundee United on Saturday.

It means manager Brendan Rodgers has wrapped up a fourth top-flight crown in Scotland and a fourth straight league title for the Parkhead club

Here, BBC Scotland looks at some of the numbers behind another top-tier triumph.

Early victory

Going by the calendar, the earliest Celtic have won the title was back in 2014 when they sealed victory on 26 March with seven Premiership games remaining.

This season, they have won it a month later with a 17-point margin and four games to spare after winning their first post-split fixture.

Magnificent Maeda

Celtic's Daizen Maeda is the Premiership's joint top scorer this season, despite playing mainly on the wing until fellow Japan forward Kyogo Furuhashi was sold to Rennes during the January transfer window.

The 27-year-old has 16 goals from 31 appearances - level with Dundee striker Simon Murray, who has played three games more.

Maeda also lead the assists table along with team-mate Alistair Johnston, with both of them on nine, meaning the forward's total league goal contributions stand at 25 for the season.

Resolute defence, goals galore & ball hogging

As the saying goes, "attack wins games, defence wins titles." Well, Celtic have both.

In 21 of their 34 league games, they have kept a clean sheet and conceded just 22 goals in total.

And at the other end, they are set to break their best goalscoring league season given they are already on 102 goals and their current record stands at 114.

Teams have a hard time getting the ball off Celtic, too. The champions have averaged 75% possession across their Premiership matches this term.

A 55th top-flight title

Celtic have ended a 95-year wait to draw level again with Rangers' total of titles.

Their 55th league title, added to 42 Scottish Cups, 22 League Cups and one European Cup, takes their total of major trophies to 120 - now two more than Rangers - with 43 of those honours coming since 2000.

It makes the Parkhead side the second most successful team in the world behind Egyptian club Al-Ahly, who are on 125.

Relentless Rodgers adds 11th trophy

Rodgers has now won the Scottish title in each of his four seasons at Celtic.

Indeed, he has now won 11 of the 12 domestic trophies in which his side have competed during that time - the only miss being last season's League Cup, won by Rangers.

Only Aberdeen - in the Scottish Cup final - can prevent Rodgers becoming the first Celtic manager to win three domestic trebles.

The Northern Irishman is the third most successful manager in the club's history, with only Willie Maley (30) and Jock Stein (25) winning more.

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Following title-clinching victory at Dundee United, which means Celtic winger James Forrest is now the club's most decorated player of all time, he told BBC Scotland: "It's hard to put into words, it's a really good achievement. It shows the commitment from everyone.

"The club speaks for itself, wherever you go its recognised, so to play a small part in that is unbelievable. It comes from being here in such a successful era with so many great players with so many good managers.

"You work together through all the good and bad times and I feel as though I have had so may ups. Hopefully I have more to come."

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Following the title-clinching victory at Dundee United, Celtic captain Callum McGregor told BBC Scotland: "Every one is special. Again, the performance level, the way we did it, getting across the line in style.

That's what we wanted before the game, to go and really sprint across the line. We've done that and then that gives us that feeling as a group that all the hard work and sacrifice has paid off.

"You have to cherish it and live in the moment as much as you can because some day it'll all be over and you'll never get the chance to do it again. The players have been amazing, so proud of everyone.

"We've got four league games to go, we want to finish in style, we want to be sprinting across the line and then obviously we want to arrive into the cup final in the best possible moment.

"If we do that, we turn up, we do the right things, it can be a special season for us."

On record-breaker James Forrest: "He is unbelievable, what a legend. Somebody so humble and what he's achieved at this club throughout his career, he just keeps going and going and going.

"Honestly, what a top professional. So happy for him and it couldn't happen to a better guy. It shows you the level of success we've had since we've been here together and we just keep feeding off each other every year."

On manager Brendan Rodgers: "The way he works, how hard he works, the dedication he puts in. He dedicates his life to football and this club as well, so I'm so proud of him.

"He deserves that and the way he pushes the group, the way he pushes the club, he's never wanted to rest on what he's achieved before and he keeps doing that to the players as well.

"He keeps testing us all the time and that's a testament to his mental strength and the way that he works."

We asked for your views on Celtic's league triumph as a 5-0 win against Dundee United secured a fourth straight Scottish Premiership title.

Here's what some of you said:

Chris: The best team in Scotland bar none. An unprecedented 55 league titles and it ranks just as important as the previous 54. Daizen Maeda will get player of the year and deservedly so.

Mike: Celtic are so far ahead of every other club in Scotland, both on and off the pitch. They deserve all the praise and congratulations they receive.

Charles: What a season! Incredible. Maybe Celtic should go to the Premier League because they are to good for Scotland.

Kevin: Celtic win the league again, congratulations. I have to say, though, there isn't enough competition, especially with a very poor Rangers team. A lot of people say Celtic and Rangers should be in the English Premier League, but the league would have to have 22 teams - no way should they replace two English clubs.

Tom: Another wonderful day to be a Celtic supporter. Is Brendan Rodgers finally forgiven? What a pity the 10th title was lost. No not lost, squandered.

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• Celtic have scored in 31 of their 34 games, more often than any other team in the Premiership this season.

• Dundee United have a record of W0, D0, L4 when conceding the opening goal at home in the Premiership this season.

• Celtic have avoided defeat in their last 43 matches when scoring first in the Premiership, since a 1-2 loss to Kilmarnock on 10 December 2023.

• Dundee United have failed to win any of their last five matches when conceding first in the Premiership, since a victory over Dundee on 2 January 2025.

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Manager Brendan Rodgers vows to lead Celtic's charge for five Scottish Premiership titles in a row, further dampening the notion he would move on. (Sun), external

Celtic could face sanctions after objects were thrown by spectators on to the pitch during the league championship-clinching 5-0 win at Dundee United, an apparent protest by supporters about ticket prices. (Football Insider), external

Meanwhile, Celtic winger Jota is a doubt for next Sunday's final Old Firm derby of the season against Rangers after coming off with a knee injury at Tannadice. (National - subscription required), external

The Portuguese winger, 26, may have torn his meniscus. (Glasgow Times - subscription required), external

Jota was spotted in a knee brace after the match. (Herald - subscription required), external

Read Sunday's Scottish gossip

Celtic fans, we want to hear your views after Brendan Rodgers' side wrapped up another league title.

Where does this title rank for you? What are the standout moments of this season?

Send us your thoughts here.

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Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers: "We've had a few of these games where the demand is on us to perform and that's what I was talking about a few weeks back with St Johnstone, but the response to that, three games, five goals, big intensity, big concentration, quality of goals, you can't win it in a better way.

"We wanted to raise the flag for Celtic today and we've done that. We want to also perform well and the players were outstanding in that job as well.

"It feels like it's been normalised when it really isn't. It's such a hard thing to do but for these players from the first day of pre-season right the way through until the end we're going to push and fight to win as many trophies as we can."

On securing his 11th trophy with Celtic he added; "I think obviously in time when I finish it will probably sink in but my immediate thought is just stay focused while I'm here and enjoy the work.

"For me, to be the professional manager here, as I said, it's a real privilege but also I have that emotional connection as well. That's the joy of managing here, it's big pressure, big expectation but it's great when you have days like this here.

"My career until now to this point has been great. I started on a journey as a young coach and have had the privilege to manage some amazing clubs. However, like I said, there's an emotional attachment here because of supporting the club and my family and friends.

"It really feels really special to be here and obviously, I said it the other day but again, I've got Dermot Desmond to thank for bringing me back.

"He had so much belief in me and so much trust in me and to bring me back when probably many others wouldn't have and wouldn't have taken me back, inside and outside the club. I think this is a day for him to have a glass of champagne or wine, whatever he has, with great pride and hopefully he felt proud watching that game."

Kheredine Idessane
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter at Tannadice Park

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Rodgers wanted his men to win the title with a flourish and they haven't disappointed in the past few weeks.

The manager won't have been happy at the way his team started at Tannadice, but he'll be delighted with the way they finished the first-half.

On 29 minutes, it was still 0-0. When the whistle went for the break, Celtic were three clear, home and hosed, title won. It was five before the hour and looked like it would end up being more.

Maeda has been banging in the goals lately - 11 in his last nine games - but it was his turn to assist here, setting up Kuhn's goals, both of which were finished superbly.

The German made a 'yap, yap' sign with his hands to suggest too much has been made of the drop-off in his form in the second half of the season.

Idah's double is also a timely reminder of what he has to offer when the team is flowing and chances are being created.

Celtic have clearly been the best team in Scotland by quite some distance and this was yet another reminder why.

Give them an inch and they can bury teams within minutes. It happened at Hampden against St Johnstone last week and it happened here.

Their latest title win means they are two-thirds of the way to a sixth treble in nine seasons. It's an astonishing level of consistent high achievement of which Celtic show little sign of tiring.

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Injured Celtic goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel - who hopes to be fit for the Scottish Cup final - hails Celtic's relentless nature.

"To play the well we have today, that's what champions do," he tells Sky Sports.

"You can only beat what's in front of you and that's what we've done all season. That relentless nature is what we're all about.

"We can't have off days, they don't exist for us. It's a constant strive and drive to be better.

"Any league-winning team has to have that internal drive to have high standards.

"I have loved this season, it's incredible. This is special."

Celtic midfielder Arne Engels tells Sky Sports: "It's an amazing feeling, everyone deserves it.

"What a wonderful performance today, everyone worked so hard for it.

"Everyone was in the right mindset today to win it and I'm really proud of everyone.

"We're one final away from a treble. We'll celebrate today but tomorrow or the day after we'll focus on the Rangers game and then the Scottish Cup final."

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Celtic winger James Forrest tells Sky Sports: "It's hard to put into words, it's unbelievable to win another trophy with Celtic.

"When you're getting older, you appreciate it more, you don't take it for granted.

"I've played in so many good teams over the years, this one is right up there. The standards are so high."

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