Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers called on his players to improve their mentality after Kilmarnock’s late equaliser handed Rangers the initiative in the Premiership title race.

Rodgers thought they had got away with a poor performance as Celtic led through Kyogo Furuhashi’s 32nd-minute header when the clock struck 90 minutes.

But Killie had created several chances and caused problems for Celtic with their pressing and David Watson headed home in stoppage-time after substitute Alexandro Bernabei misjudged Fraser Murray’s cross.

Matt O’Riley was denied several times as Celtic looked for a second goal either side of the break but they struggled to create chances in the final half hour.

Rodgers said: “We lacked authority on the ball, we lacked composure, all the things you need to do to control the game. We looked nervous on the ball and, especially second half, we created nowhere near what we would want to.

“It’s happened too many times over the course of the season. We have played well in spells but then when we haven’t taken our chances and a wee bit of anxiety creeps in, you have to be able to deal with that pressure.

“I have been here often enough and had enough games here as a manager to understand the pressures of taking the ball and dealing with it and we didn’t do that well enough. It’s bitterly disappointing.”

Rodgers, whose side had already lost twice to Killie this season, added: “It is not about ability or technique now, it is about mentality. It is about not letting that man go past you and having that drive and composure to play.

“We saw it the second half, even though we were not under great pressure we kept making it hard for ourselves.”

Rangers were seven points behind when Philippe Clement took over eight games into the cinch Premiership season but the Light Blues will go two ahead if they beat St Johnstone in Perth on Sunday.

Rodgers dismissed suggestions the pressure of the title race was a factor.

“Irrespective of how Rangers play or work, it’s nothing to do with us,” he said.

“It was us giving the ball away and being nervous. That has nothing to do with anyone other than ourselves.

“It doesn’t matter what anyone else does. It can’t be allowed to continue because we’ll get to the pressure point of the season eventually.

“It’s now about the mind game. Physically and technically you’re in a good place so it’s all about the mind now.”

Killie manager Derek McInnes felt his side were well worth a point.

“It didn’t feel like a smash and grab, coming here and defending for 90-odd minutes and then nicking an equaliser,” he said. “It wasn’t that at all.

“We had to suffer first half at times with possession. We allowed the Celtic players that we wanted to have more touches of the ball than some of the other ones. I thought we dealt with their four wide players well.

“We picked and chose our moments to get after them and got our reward.”

McInnes played down first-half penalty claims when Marley Watkins argued he had been taken down from behind by Stephen Welsh.

“Marley’s adamant it was a penalty,” McInnes said. “I’ve seen it a couple of times, it looks the like the defender’s first touch has taken the ball.”

Celtic midfielder Matt O’Riley aims to become more prolific in front of goal this season.

The 22-year-old Denmark international feels he should have notched more than four last term, but he has already found his scoring touch this time round by netting in both of his team’s league matches so far.

“I haven’t set myself any targets in terms of numbers,” said O’Riley. “Last season I kind of did but at the same time I’m quite young so some of it is trial and error.

“I feel better when I’m coming from a place where I can express myself from quite a free standpoint rather than setting a target and having to go for that because if you’re not getting close to it, you might get a bit of stress over it and lose a bit of calmness and composure.

“I haven’t set myself any targets but do think I can get myself more goals? I’d like to think so. Last season I should have got more goals, I need to be calmer when I’m in those areas.”

O’Riley has made a bright start to the campaign and is enjoying working under new manager Brendan Rodgers.

“I don’t think anything has changed massively, to be honest,” he said. “Maybe I feel better from a mental perspective, which always helps. I’m feeling really good in general.

“We’ve got a slightly new style and my role has changed slightly, but nothing too crazy, I’ve just got myself into the right positions and stayed calm and that’s what it has come down to.

“The manager’s style of management has been good. If there is something that I need to work on or that needs to be addressed then he will pick me up on it and we’ll go through it, especially on the training pitch.

“The other day he pulled me in and went through some little details that can help me. I think he’s good with most players in dealing with them from a personal perspective. Naturally that is going to help on the pitch because you will feel slightly better.

“I think I have been fortunate to have had pretty good managers thus far and feel like I am developing every season.”

Celtic turn their attention to the Viaplay Cup this weekend as they kick off their defence of the trophy away to Kilmarnock, who have started their cinch Premiership campaign impressively by taking four points out of a possible six from matches against Rangers and Hearts.

“It’s definitely a tough draw,” said O’Riley. “Respectfully, if the game is at home it’s probably easier than playing away because it is a tough place to go and we know that from past experiences.

“Other teams have also found it hard there. We have enough to win the game but it’s going to be one we have to be more than ready for.

“We always expect a tough test at Rugby Park and we need to be as prepared as we can be. Last season when we won 5-0 there we took our chances really well and that will be really important again.

“If you score the first goal at a place like that, it helps a lot but at the same time if they score first then I think we have enough in our toolbox to still win the game.”

Matt O’Riley revealed Brendan Rodgers has told his Celtic squad to consign last season’s domestic treble to history to focus on more success.

The Hoops completed the clean sweep of trophies in Scotland for the eighth time before popular boss Ange Postecoglou stunned the fans when he departed for Tottenham.

Rodgers has returned to Parkhead for a second spell as boss, having won seven trophies out of seven in his first stint in charge between 2016 and 2019 before leaving for Leicester, but, according to Hoops midfielder O’Riley, he is clearing the way for a fresh start to next season.

Following a tough training session at Lennoxtown, the 22-year-old said on Celtic’s official Twitter account: “It is an amazing achievement,  we’ve kind of broke that record again, which is a massive, massive credit to us and the fans of course.

“It has definitely sunk in, but at the same time Brendan has come in already and basically told us that it’s done now, isn’t it?

“So obviously, it’s there, it’s in the history books, but at the same time now we’ve got another season to kind of do it again.”

The former Fulham and MK Dons player is appreciating a more hands-on managerial approach from the Northern Irishman.

He said: “So far it’s been amazing. Everyone seems quite upbeat and I think he brings that just in terms of how he goes about things.

“He’s not reluctant to come and sit with us at lunch and just have a chat which I think is quite nice.

“So it’s nice, refreshing kind of change in a sense just to have a bit more openness about the place so I’m looking forward to that.”

O’Riley is relishing the upcoming trip to Japan, where preparations for the new season will continue and which will also provide a homecoming for Celtic’s Japanese contingent of Kyogo Furuhashi, Yuki Kobayashi, Tomoki Iwata, Daizen Maeda and Reo Hatate.

O’Riley said: “It’s supposed to be quite humid and sticky, so it’s going to be quite tough to train in it, but I think that’s probably the perfect preparation for us going into the season.

“I think we get a day off as well, which we’re spending in Osaka, which I’ve heard is a really nice place.

“So I’m looking forward to that. And, yeah, I’ll be sure to ask Japanese boys for some advice what to do today.”

Matt O’Riley returns to the scene of his fast-track Celtic debut on Sunday hoping to clinch a second successive cinch Premiership title.

The 22-year-old midfielder signed from MK Dons in January 2022 and went straight into Ange Postecoglou’s side for the trip to Hearts where he set up Giorgos Giakoumakis for the visitors’ second goal in the 2-1 win.

With five post-split fixtures remaining, the reigning champions are 13 points clear of Rangers at the top of the table and will retain the title with a win over the Jambos while taking a giant step towards the domestic treble.

Speaking at Toryglen Regional Football Centre where he was publicising a new walking football initiative supporting those affected by Parkinson’s, O’Riley said: “My first game was at Tynecastle. It was a good night.

“It was a few days after I signed so I was thrown straight in which is probably the best way and it is quite a hostile atmosphere as well so it is probably the kind of game that you want to be involved in.

“Two games later I was playing against Rangers as well so it was quite an introduction.

“Nothing is officially done so we will train as we always do.

“We would rather win than draw or lose, naturally. So that will be the aim but saying that, it is definitely a hard place to go.

“It won’t be easy. Our frame of mind has to be right before the game and hopefully we can get the job done.

“It (possible treble) is obviously exciting. One more trophy than last year so that would be great.

“We haven’t done anything yet. We have one trophy, we are in a very good position to do something special but there is still a lot of work to be done.”

With the ViaPlay Cup already won and the Scottish Cup final against Championship side Inverness at Hampden Park on June 3, the Hoops are eyeing a clean sweep of trophies.

Celtic are away to Hearts then Rangers in their first two post-split fixtures and have been only allocated 1,264 tickets for Tynecastle and none at all for Ibrox.

O’Riley said: “Personally I would rather win the league in front of our fans but if we can win it there (Tynecastle) it would be great.

“They (fans) will all be watching on television. I am sure there will be fans outside Tynecastle hoping we get the job done on that day and I am sure that later on in the season when we play home games we will be able to, hopefully, celebrate with them if we get the job done.”

Celtic FC Foundation is teaming up with Parkinson’s UK and Glasgow Life to help deliver free weekly walking football in Glasgow.

The project will be free for people with Parkinson’s and will hopefully appeal to a greater number of people living with the disease, particularly those not currently engaged in physical activity.

Celtic FC Foundation coaches will assist Glasgow Life, the charity that delivers culture and sport in Glasgow, and will also undertake Parkinson’s awareness training.

O’Riley said: “It is a very important initiative. We have a really good Foundation.

“This is my first time doing anything with Parkinson’s but the idea of giving back is a really good thing.”