Liam Scales surveyed a potentially glorious end to Celtic’s season following their epic Scottish Gas Scottish Cup semi-final win over Aberdeen on Saturday, but knows there is still plenty of work to do.
A dramatic 6-5 penalty shoot-out victory over the Dons at Hampden Park followed a 3-3 draw and it booked the Hoops a place in the May 25 final against Rangers or Hearts, who face off at the national stadium on Sunday afternoon.
The Parkhead side are three points clear of their Old Firm rivals at the top of the cinch Premiership with five post-split fixtures remaining, one of which is the visit of Rangers to Celtic Park.
Scales acknowledged the importance of momentum going into the business end of the season.
“We are coming in strong to the last part of the season and that’s the way we like it and that’s the way we want it to be,” said the Irish defender.
“With five games left in the league we want to try and put that to bed and then deal with the cup.
“It probably won’t be that simple but that’s the plan.”
Scales, who signed from Shamrock Rovers in August 2021, was on loan at Aberdeen last season and there was speculation about him possibly signing a permanent deal with the Granite City club.
However, the Republic of Ireland international became a regular starter for Celtic this season under returning boss Brendan Rodgers and he is looking to continue on in the same manner.
“I really enjoyed my time at Aberdeen and it is a great club,” he said.
“To break into the team here is brilliant.
“I’m delighted how the season has gone. We just need to finish the season strong in our last five league games leading into the cup final.”
Scales described the semi-final as “mental” and it came to a crescendo in the penalty shoot-out when goalkeeper Joe Hart hit the post with Celtic’s fifth penalty but then saved from Killian Phillips to confirm the win.
Celtic recovered from Bojan Miovski’s early goal to led through goals from Nicolas Kuhn and substitute James Forrest, before Dons substitute Ester Sokler levelled in the 90th minute.
Matt O’Riley fired Celtic ahead in extra-time but stand-in Dons captain Angus MacDonald made up for an earlier mistake that led to Celtic’s equaliser when he headed in the 119th minute.
Scales said: “The boys who took the penalties showed extreme mental strength and bravery to put them away. It was amazing.”
At 3-2 up in extra-time, Celtic defender Cameron Carter-Vickers thought he had given a penalty away for his tackle on Junior Hoilett inside the box and was relieved upon discovering that referee Don Robertson had awarded a foul to the Hoops for the Aberdeen substitute’s challenge on Celtic right-back Alistair Johnston seconds earlier.
Carter-Vickers said: “I didn’t see him until late. I thought it was given but when it wasn’t given I was happy.
“The referee just said it was a foul against Alistair Johnston. Obviously VAR checked it and I just said if you seen it on the pitch then stick with your decision please.”
Postecoglou: Spurs have a confidence problem to overcome
Ange Postecoglou says that Tottenham need to "overcome" their low confidence after suffering a 4-2 defeat to Liverpool on Sunday.
Spurs slipped to their fourth consecutive Premier League defeat, being left to bemoan their slow start as they found themselves 4-0 down by the hour mark thanks to goals from Mohamed Salah, Andrew Robertson, Cody Gakpo and Harvey Elliott.
Richarlison came off the bench to salvage some pride for Spurs, scoring one before setting up Son Heung-min for a goal on his 300th Premier League appearance.
Spurs had the opportunity to cut the gap to the top four after Aston Villa’s defeat to Brighton, but they remain seven points off a Champions League spot.
Postecoglou’s side still have a game in hand over the Villans, though he was sure that Spurs would be able to put their recent poor run behind them.
Asked if Spurs had a confidence problem, Postecoglou told Sky Sports: "Maybe in the front third there is.
"It probably is a bit of a lack of confidence, but again, that's something the guys have to work through.
"You have to find a way to overcome that because, ultimately, if you don't put pressure on the opposition in the front third after you've worked your way up there, they're going to get comfortable with their position."
Spurs have won just one of their last nine Premier League away games, failing to win any of the last five.
Despite that run extending at Anfield, Postecoglou highlighted what he thought was an improvement on their recent performances.
He continued: "Obviously a hugely disappointing outcome for us but at least we were more like ourselves today in terms of our football.
"Our last two away games at Newcastle and Chelsea, apart from the results which weren't great either, we just didn't try and play our football.
"I thought today, even in the first half, some of our football, our pressing was back to where it should be."
Roma 1-1 Juventus: Juve miss chance to close gap to second after draw with Roma
Juventus were held to a 1-1 draw at Roma on Sunday, missing the chance to close in on Milan in second place in Serie A.
Roma took the lead after 15 minutes when Romelu Lukaku found himself in the perfect position to tap in the rebound from a Bryan Cristante shot.
Bremer levelled with a header for Juventus just after the half-hour mark when Federico Chiesa picked him out inside the box from a corner.
Both sides had chances to find a winner in the final minutes, with Roma keeper Mile Svilar making a fingertip save to push Manuel Locatelli's volley over the bar.
Third-placed Juventus have 66 points, five fewer than Milan, who drew 3-3 with Genoa earlier on Sunday. Roma are fifth with 60 points.
Data Debrief: Leading from the back
Since scoring his first Serie A goal in the 2019-20 season, Bremer is the defender with the most headed goals in the Big-5 European leagues, netting 13 in total. Each of his last seven goals have been headers.
His goal was enough to earn Juventus a point today, but it means that they have drawn each of their last four in the competition - a first since February-March 2012 under Antonio Conte.
Chelsea 8-0 Bristol City: Blues rout hands Hayes perfect home send off
Guro Reiten starred as Chelsea thrashed already-relegated Bristol City 8-0 to keep their title hopes alive in the Women's Super League on Sunday.
The Norwegian scored four goals, netting the opener from the penalty spot to get Emma Hayes' last home game in charge off to the best start.
She scored the other three in the second half in just over 20 minutes, while teeing up Agnes Beever-Jones for the seventh goal with just two minutes left.
Beever-Jones got two, with Sjoeke Nusken and Niamh Charles also adding to the scoreline to eradicate the goal-difference advantage that Manchester City, who lost to Arsenal earlier on Sunday, had over them.
Chelsea move to within three points of the Citizens, with a game in hand over them, remaining in the fight to lift their fifth-consecutive league title.
Data Debrief:
Chelsea have scored eight goals in a game for the first time since December 2022 against Leicester City, a match they also won 8-0.
The Blues have scored in their last six games in the WSL, though it does not come close to their longest run of games with a goal in the competition - a run of 20 from April 2023 to February 2024.
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