CELTIC manager Brendan Rodgers has questioned his side's mentality after they slipped to a 1-0 defeat at bottom side St Johnstone in the Scottish Premiership on Sunday.
However, Rodgers refused to apportion blame to his players, saying the Hoops win and lose as a team and that he needs to firstly look at his own preparation for games.
"We didn't start the game well, which is a concern," Rodgers told Celtic TV.
"We've had that a number of times and that's just about mentally, about ambition in the game."
However, he added: "Everything we've ever done has been a collective and that's firstly on me, so I need to think in terms of my teaching, my inspiration, my motivation — am I doing the right things to get them to that point?
"So firstly, I'll look at myself."
Third defeat in five
A win for the visitors would have set up a title clincher against Kilmarnock at Celtic Park next Saturday but the champagne is on ice with the Hoops appearing to be limping over the line.
The reverse marks a third defeat in five league games, having only lost one of the previous 36 stretching back to March 2024.
Celtic found themselves behind early on when Daniels Balodis headed in a free kick from Irishman and former Celtic youngster, Graham Carey.
The visitors struggled to breach the Saints defence and when they did, they found keeper Andy Fisher in fine form.
Celtic dominated a second half that was ultimately short on quality, with neither side managing a shot on target before the final 10 minutes, although Reo Hatate struck the post in that time.
In a sign of how off-the-boil Celtic were, it was veteran winger James Forrest — only recently returned from injury — who came closest to scoring as Celtic pushed for a leveller.
However, the 33-year-old sent an 82nd-minute effort straight at Fisher, who saved again from Forrest and Luke McCowan as the game drew to a close.
The only silver lining for the Hoops is Rangers' failure to close the gap at the top following their 2-0 home defeat to Hibernian on Saturday.
Contrasting Celtic's frustration, the result gives St Johnstone a glimmer of hope in their bid to avoid relegation.
It's a big ask, with the Saints bottom of the table in the automatic relegation spot and still five points adrift of Dundee in 11th.
The win over Celtic though will provide them with a massive fillip not just in their relegation battle but ahead of the Scottish Cup semi-final against the Hoops later this month.
'Lacked ambition'
Speaking after the game, Rodgers again stressed the importance of being mentally prepared for matches, suggesting they need to strike a balance between European and domestic football.
"It's about getting your mentality right before you even kick a ball," he told Celtic TV.
"We've had one or two games where we're waiting for the game and that worries me when I look at the squad.
"The squad has showed great mental strength over the course of the season but have lacked ambition in games.
"Especially today, there's no excuse — you've got three sides of the ground full with your own supporters, pushing you on, expecting.
"Maybe that's something that I need to look at, expectation versus underdog, because everyone can play as an underdog but when you're a Celtic player you have to deal with both.
"You have to deal with [being the] underdog in the Champions League at times and then you have to deal with the expectation [domestically] and being the top team.
"That's something that really has disappointed me from today."
However, the visiting boss took nothing away from St Johnstone's win, adding: "I want to give St Johnstone a huge amount of credit.
"You're bottom of the league, you're fighting for your life and I felt that their fight was greater than ours at the beginning of the game.
"That got them in front and we couldn't respond."
Celtic host Kilmarnock next Saturday, April 12, hoping to take a step closer to sealing the title.
They then meet St Johnstone at Hampden Park the following Sunday, April 20, in the Scottish Cup semi-final.
The first post-split fixtures will be held the next weekend, April 26-27.
