Callum McGregor has explained how Celtic turned the Rangers performance inside Ibrox around at half-time as the Bhoys spoke frankly about their poor first-half performance.
The Celtic captain led from the front in the second half, after McGregor identified how the Hoops’ passing would be key to pulling back a 2-0 deficit.
And as Celtic fought back to earn a 2-2 draw, McGregor reveals the chats he had with his Hoops teammates in the days leading up to the big Glasgow Derby and when trailing 2-0 at the break.
Did Celtic just save their season with a second half comeback vs Rangers? Give us your thoughts in the comments 👇
WHAT. A. COMEBACK.
McGregor told Sky Sports, “We spoke the other day. It’s difficult when you come here and the crowd get on top of you.
“And they start well, we try to speak about having a good start in the game, but it doesn’t always pan out that way.
“And they are a good side. They’re direct. They make you defend. Obviously the goals are good quality goals as well. So sometimes you have to start to take your medicine and regroup.”
The half-time Celtic team chat that inspired Rangers fightback
At 2-0 down, Celtic looked dead and buried with no shots on goal, never mind any on target. But it was at half-time the Hoops regrouped, and the fightback began.
McGregor continued, “And that’s exactly what we did at half-time. I thought we were by far the better team in the second half, and probably unlucky not to actually go win it.
“But it was a long way to go. We spoke before the game about a point is a good result, so it keeps it in our hands as well. We got to just keep winning our games.”
When asked what was said at half-time, McGregor continued, “We could see it in moments in the first half where we actually made a few passes, the game opened up for us.
“So it was just about committing to that and really trying to play our stuff. Because we knew they just wanted to be physical, we tried to make it a football match. And we did that second half.
“So we knew the signs were there from the first half. It was just committing to it and really going for it.”
Celtic need to stop leaking goals
Celtic are becoming the masters of the fightback, but this simply cannot go on for the remainder of the season.
While McGregor has led the Hoops out of trouble from going behind early on six occasions already this season, the Hibs defeat proves that Celtic’s luck can, and will, run out.
Starting at Aberdeen on Wednesday night, Martin O’Neill must get his team on the front foot and look to lead the game, and not fall behind.
If Celtic can start controlling the final nine games of the season, there is no reason why the title cannot stay at Paradise for the fifth season in a row.
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