Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou didn't see winning against Rangers as the "priority" going into the derby showdown, according to pundit Rory Loy.
It was a disappointing day for the Hoops at Ibrox as they fell to a 3-0 defeat to Michael Beale's side just days after sealing the Scottish Premiership title. It offered plenty of positives for Beale as he earned his first Old Firm derby victory since stepping into the hot seat with a convincing win over Postecoglou's Treble chasers - but some pundits and Celtic fans have caveated due to the changes made to the starting XI.
The likes of Hyeongyu Oh and Alexandro Bernabei came into the line-up at the expense of Kyogo Furuhashi and Greg Taylor, while Yuki Kobayashi and Antony Ralston have been handed a run in the side due injuries for Alistair Johnston and Cameron Carter-Vickers. Former Rangers academy graduate and Falkirk forward Loy reckons that the "dead rubber" derby altered Postecoglou's thinking for the game.
He reckons that if American Carter-Vickers had played John Souttar would have been denied the second goal at Ibrox as he played down the romp. He told BBC Sportsound: "It is a a little comfort to them (Rangers), but I do find it hard to analyse these games towards the end of the season. Especially in these derby matches where it's a dead rubber in terms of what is available other than bragging rights.
"Rangers were good, but when I say it's hard to analyse (it's because) Celtic made changes. It's going to sound like a ridiculous comment but in my opinion it's true - I don't think Ange Postecoglou's priority was to win the game.
"If his priority was to win the game Kyogo would have played, Taylor would have played, I don't know the circumstances around Cameron Carter-Vickers injury but they possibly would have tried to delay his operation for his injury if he thinks he needs a couple more weeks. His priority was to take a look at his fringe players and see if they can handle this occasion and this fixture.
"So it becomes skewed slightly. Everyone is talking about Rangers getting high up the pitch, squeezing Celtic and putting them under pressure, which they did and they did well.
"But they tried that before and when Taylor was on the pitch, when Kyogo was on the pitch, when Alistair Johnston was on the pitch - I appreciate that was an enforced change - when Cameron Carter-Vickers was on the pitch; these are better players. So they find ways to take that press, and that is where Rangers have struggled.
"You don't want to take too much away from Rangers. The second goal for example, Souttar - I'm not saying he doesn't get the first contact against Cameron Carter-Vickers but he doesn't get the purchase on the header to score the goal if it's against Cameron Carter-Vickers in my opinion.
"That is the negatives for Rangers. But for Beale he can only play the team that he is up against, and in fairness he didn't have a full strength team to choose from as well."
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