Todd Cantwell in Celtic ‘didn’t win’ derby claim as Rangers attacker issues ‘stick together’ rallying call

Todd Cantwell has claimed Celtic “didn’t win” Saturday’s Old Firm derby, insisting that it was of Rangers own making they lost the match.

Ange Postecoglou’s Premiership leaders clinched a 3-2 victory over their fierce rivals at Parkhead to move 12 points clear at the top of the table and effectively wrap up the title for a second successive season.

James Tavernier’s stunning free-kick had cancelled out Kyogo Furuhashi’s early opener before the Ibrox side conceded two second half goals through defensive mistakes to allow the Hoops a commanding lead.

Firstly, Ben Davies misdirected a headed clearance which allowed Furuhashi to slot home his second of the match before fellow centre-back John Souttar’ stray pass-back was pounced on by Jota who rounded goalkeeper Allan McGregor to score Celtic’s third.

Gers skipper Tavernier headed in his 100th goal for the club late on to reduce the deficit but the hosts held on to leave Rangers without a win in the Glasgow derby in the past seven meetings and in the process consign Michael Beale to his first league defeat as manager.

Cantwell - a January signing from Norwich City - took to social media to express his disappointment at the result and suggested that Celtic didn’t have to work hard for the points. “The disappointment is real,” he posted. “We lost the game, they didn’t win it. We continue to stick together and build in the right direction. This is a project an an exciting one. Stick together as one.”

Similarly, Tavernier was pleased with aspects of what he saw in his team’s performance to make him feel positive about their chances of ending Celtic’s Treble hopes later this month when the two sides meet again in the Scottish Cup semi-final at Hampden Park.

He admitted: “We’ve obviously got an important game against them in three weeks’ time, so if we take the positives out of this game and apply ourselves in the same way - with a bit more - then I’m really confident in the team.

“The game is obviously massive and we’ve got to make sure we get in the final. We have to move on. We have to finish the season as strong as possible.”