Mikael Lustig: '˜Celtic could have scored ten'against Rangers

Celtics Swedish defender Mikael Lustig celebrates after scoring the fifth goal to put the final gloss on his sides comprehensive thrashing of Rangers at Ibrox. Picture: Paul Devlin/SNS

Mikael Lustig has rubbed salt into Rangers' wounds after Saturday's derby demolition by insisting Celtic could have scored double figures at Ibrox.

The Scottish champions romped to a 5-1 victory in the final Old Firm match of the season, their biggest success in a league fixture in Govan since a 4-0 win in 1897.

Lustig, who scored Celtic’s fifth goal on Saturday, believes the humiliation for Rangers could have been even greater, given the amount of opportunities he and his team-mates created in the lopsided contest.

“We scored five goals but if we had been 100 per cent clinical, it could have been closer to double figures,” said Lustig.

“It was the most satisfying performance of the season for us in domestic terms. It is up there with the 5-1 win we had over Rangers at Parkhead back in September. The way we played at Ibrox, the way we kept the ball and created chances, the way we defended – it all felt good. The way we played for that full game was very pleasing.”

It was another landmark moment in a remarkable  season for Celtic, who remain unbeaten in domestic football under Brendan Rodgers.

Lustig insists there will be no easing off in their final four Premiership fixtures before they conclude the campaign in search of the domestic treble when they face Aberdeen in the Scottish Cup final at Hampden on 27 May.

“I didn’t know it was the first time Celtic scored five goals at Ibrox, so that’s cool,” added the Swedish international defender.

“It has been a long season and we have been brilliant so far. We work hard on the same things every week and don’t take anything for granted. If we keep doing that then we know it will be a fantastic end to the season. But there are still four weeks to go and we will not be taking our foot off the gas.

“Football is all about confidence. I think our fitness is maybe the same as last season. But when you are full of confidence you don’t think about it. You just go out and play. Everyone wants the ball and it is easier to play football. Last season we struggled a little bit but now we are in good nick.

“That’s why we work really hard. We have a young squad and a manager and staff who want to get better all the time. It is easy to think we will have an easy week now and have fun on the training ground. But it’s not like that. We do the same things, take care of our bodies and work a lot on tactics. That is why we are so good now.

“We never stop. It feels like every game we go out there we always have something new we have been learning during the week. We want to try it out on the pitch. Sometimes it works and sometimes not. If it doesn’t, we practise even more. We make sure we do it the next week.”

Lustig says there will be no complacency as Celtic look to complete an unprecedented unbeaten domestic campaign.

“That has been spoken about in the media for a long time now,” he added. “But we stay humble and always have the respect of the opponent.”