Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers reacts to Philippe Clement's Rangers arrival - 'never worry about anything outside of me'

Brendan Rodgers admits he knows nothing about new Rangers adversary Philippe Clement but says his focus will remain firmly on Celtic regardless.

The Belgian has pitched up at Ibrox with his team already seven points behind the champions and with the sides not due to meet again in league action until the end of the year. Clement will become the sixth Rangers manager to take on Rodgers in the derby come December 30 and the Celtic boss says he will treat this changing of the guard as he has every other new Ibrox appointment.

He said: “I never worry about anything outside of me. My focus is layered towards our club, our performances and our results. That’s all I focus on. Of course, I’m aware (that Clement has been appointed) and I don’t know the new manager that’s gone in there. But I’ve had it here before with a number of Rangers managers and it’s still the same focus on Celtic. We don’t play them until later on in any case.”

Rangers’ struggles latterly under Michael Beale helped gloss over the fact that Rodgers endured difficulties of his own at the start of the season. And while Glasgow football life tends to mimic a see-saw – one club up and one down – the Celtic manager acknowledged it hadn’t been all plain sailing for him either. He added: “There was a wee bit of drama here earlier on, I’m led to believe. But experience says you have to win games and everything settles.”