'Only monumental reversal of fortunes can deny Celtic the Double'
Celtic go into Saturday’s Scottish Cup final with so many factors stacked in their favour that it will take a monumental reversal of fortunes for Rangers to deny them the double following last weekend’s title celebrations.
The defeat at Tynecastle in early March, with Rangers moving top of the table, might have triggered a collapse in less mentally-strong squads, but instead Brendan Rodgers guided them to success, winning eight of their final nine league games, dropping points only in the 3-3 draw at Ibrox.
The league may not have been won in the swashbuckling fashion of last season, but the manner in which Celtic crossed the finishing line, battering Kilmarnock at Rugby Park, underlined their rightful status as champions again.
Now they have an opportunity to bag a 19th domestic trophy of the last 24 available – a haul that began with Rodgers’ first treble in 2016-17 – and a 42nd Scottish Cup overall (their sixth in eight seasons).
Add to that the manager’s remarkable record of never having lost at Hampden and his stranglehold over Rangers (losing just one of 17 encounters, winning 13) and there are plenty of reasons to believe Celtic will be celebrating again this weekend.
One way or another, it is sure to be a momentous occasion, with Joe Hart keen to end his three-year love affair with the club on a happy note and James Forrest aiming to surpass the legendary Billy McNeill’s record of 23 trophies with the club and move within one of Bobby Lennox’s record of 25 if they can lift the Scottish Cup.
