Celtic remain top of the Premiership despite a surprising 2-0 defeat to Falkirk on Sunday. The loss, which saw goals from Ethan Ross and Scott Tanser, ended a run of strong domestic form and has left the club with just one win in their last three league games.

Scott Bain, the former Celtic goalkeeper who played for Falkirk in the match, expressed sympathy for his old teammates. "Did they say anything? They did, aye, a few expletives," Bain said of his post-match conversations. "No, they're obviously disappointed. It's a club that demands a lot of you."

Bain's perspective on the loss

Bain spent seven years at Celtic, collecting 13 winners' medals, and was part of the squad during the pandemic-disrupted campaign where the club failed to win a tenth consecutive title. He believes the current struggles are due to external noise and pressure, not deep internal issues. Bain stated that Celtic's league form has been fine overall and that the last two results are simply damning. He feels a few signings and fresh ideas will be enough to get the team back on track, arguing the situation is nowhere near as bad as playing in empty stadiums during lockdown.

Falkirk's victory was their fourth in a row, lifting them to fourth in the league table. Bain, who kept a clean sheet in the match, is currently in good form and back in contention for the Scotland national team. He mentioned he found it difficult to maintain form after long breaks during his time at Celtic, playing very few games under Brendan Rodgers.

The wider context

Celtic sit first in the Premiership with 28 points from 12 games, maintaining a four-point lead over Rangers. Their recent form shows two wins, one draw, and two losses from the last five matches. Top scorer Camilo Durán has seven goals this season, but the team has conceded 10 times while scoring 27.

The draw with Dundee United and the loss to Falkirk represent a drop of five points in two games. Manager Martin O'Neill is under pressure with the team having won only three of its last ten games across all competitions. Kilmarnock currently sit 11th in the table. Derek McInnes, the Rangers manager, said Falkirk's win was not a major shock given their capability, while also backing Hearts to be title contenders this season. Celtic will need to respond quickly at home to protect their position at the summit of the standings.

Read the full report at Daily Record Football