Brendan Rodgers thinks Celtic losing top rank is nothing to do with Rangers as champions in control of own fate.

The champions are now chasing down the Light Blues after falling two points behind at the league summit.

Brendan Rodgers thinks Celtic losing top spot is NOTHING to do with Rangers – but themselves.

The Hoops tumbled into second spot and two points behind Philippe Clement and his troops last Saturday when they lost a last-gasp leveller at home to Kilmarnock to share the spoils at Parkhead. That afforded the Light Blues the chance to capitalise and claim first place and they did just that with Mohamed Diomande and skipper James Tavernier’s two penalties securing a 3-0 win in Perth against St Johnstone.

Rangers are in action first this weekend as the host in-form Hearts at Tynecastle as they try to put five points between themselves and the champions ahead of their trip to Motherwell 24 hours later. The heat is piling up on Rodgers and his team but he insists they can only focus on themselves and can’t control what is happening elsewhere across the league. There are still 12 games to be played – including two Old Firm derbies – and he feels winning the league and winning silverware remains in their own hands.

Rodgers said: “We are not top of the league because of ourselves and the points we have dropped. But we have to learn from that and be focused very much on our own performance and that ‘s what the next 12 games will be.

“It’s coming back to ensuring we focus on ourselves. We can’t control anything that Rangers or any other team does. I have stated it all season we can only focus on our own performance. It is still in our control in what it is we achieve this season. We have to focus on that.

Rodgers said: “We are not top of the league because of ourselves and the points we have dropped. But we have to learn from that and be focused very much on our own performance and that ‘s what the next 12 games will be.

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