Manager Philippe Clement revealed his Rangers side earned themselves a rare Sunday off after going five points clear of Celtic at the top of the cinch Premiership with a 5-0 win over Hearts.
Midfielder Mohamed Diomande’s fine strike in just over a minute at Ibrox set the tone for an impressive performance.
Oscar Cortes doubled that lead with his first goal as a Light Blues player with striker Cyriel Dessers adding a third and fourth just before and after the break and substitute Fabio Silva scoring a fifth to pile pressure on Celtic, who take on Motherwell at Fir Park on Sunday.
The Gers boss, looking ahead to the visit to Kilmarnock on Wednesday night, said: “There is nothing won. We won three points and have a difficult day again on Wednesday. I am already thinking about Wednesday.
“That is my character and it is what it is. It is also the best way and I want to see that from my players also. They can enjoy it, they can be happy today.
“They even have a day off tomorrow, that doesn’t happen that much. That was to be decided about results in the last couple of weeks so they deserve that.
“I expect that they come in really fresh on Monday with a lot of mentality and hunger for more. It is all about that. To be ambitious, to be hungry for more, to be better.”
The Belgian was not totally satisfied with everything he saw in the Gers’ 10th successive win, adding: “Not everything. But it has been one of the best until now, I think.
“If I want everything, I want to have less shots against on target in the second half.
“But we made a lot of changes and the other team has nothing to lose. Then you can get into this situation. Maybe Jack (Butland) was happy that he could show his quality in this game.
“I am really pleased but I see what I see in the training. It is not that these things are falling out of the sky.
“The team is growing, we have been talking about that a lot in the last weeks and months. They played a really good game and they took the moments also. That is important in football.
“The first goal from Dio is really important in a game like that to open up the game and then we continue and it is good that there is a hunger and desire to never stop, to always want more.
“That is the mentality I want to see and what we have been talking about the last couple of months.”
Third-placed Jambos suffered their first defeat in 13 matches and boss Steven Naismith was unhappy at the goals his side conceded.
The former Ibrox forward said: “We lost some of the weakest goals we have conceded at bad times in the game.
“After Rangers going top of the league last week and playing before Celtic this week, we knew they were going to start fast and the atmosphere would be loud and we probably didn’t deal with that well enough.
“When we concede the two goals, one early in the first half, one early in the second half, it is an uphill battle.
“It is a lesson to be learned. I would hope it wouldn’t (affect us) because we are in a really good place.”
Al-Akhdoud 2-3 Al-Nassr: Brozovic stunner delays Al-Hilal coronation
Marcelo Brozovic scored twice – including a fine half-volley in second-half stoppage time – as Al-Nassr beat Al-Akhdoud 3-2 to delay Al-Hilal's Saudi Pro League title coronation on Thursday.
Former Inter midfielder Brozovic fired in a seventh-minute opener from outside the area before Cristiano Ronaldo tapped into an empty net to double the visitors' lead.
Sadio Mane struck the woodwork early in the second half and Al-Nassr relinquished control of the game from there, with goals from Hassan Al Habib and Saviour Godwin making it 2-2.
However, Brozovic blasted a bouncing ball home following a goalmouth scramble in the first of seven minutes of stoppage time to hand Al-Nassr a fifth straight win and keep them within nine points of Al-Hilal, with three games still to play.
They have only delayed the inevitable though as the leaders – who have only dropped four points all season – need just one more point to secure their crown ahead of facing Al-Hazm on Saturday.
Data Debrief: Brozovic upstages Ronaldo
While it's usually Ronaldo writing the headlines for Al-Nassr, he was upstaged by Brozovic on Thursday as the Croatian found the net with both of his shots, also leading all players on the pitch for final-third passes (19) and completing 90.1 per cent of his passes overall (81/95).
LA Galaxy v Real Salt Lake: Vanney encouraged ahead of top-of-the-table tussle
Greg Vanney believes the LA Galaxy are in a good spot both physically and mentally ahead of Saturday's clash with fellow Western Conference high-fliers Real Salt Lake.
The Galaxy sit third in the West through 11 matches of the season, though they have failed to win back-to-back road games against Austin FC (0-2) and the Seattle Sounders (0-0).
They are, however, unbeaten in all four of their home league games this term (two wins, two draws), and Vanney is looking forward to returning to Dignity Health Sports Park next time out.
"Physically, first and foremost, we're in a pretty good spot. We have a few guys coming back from issues that were pretty minor," Vanney said.
"It's good. We've been able to stay in that space for a while and now we're going into a busy part of the schedule we can make some choices about how we want to attack the week.
"Where are we mentally? We're good. It's nice to be home, it's a challenge to play a lot of games on the road early doors.
"We like the spot we're in and we want to keep building, but we've got to get through this tough stretch of games."
Real Salt Lake are top of the Western standings with 21 points, only losing twice in 11 league games this year.
However, they were dumped out of the U.S. Open Cup by New Mexico United on Wednesday, Pablo Mastroeni shuffling his pack for a 4-2 road loss.
"We completely tuned out," Mastroeni said after watching his team go 2-0 down within 20 minutes.
"The emotion is like, 'poor me,' and when you operate from that space, you can never think reasonably."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
LA Galaxy – Gabriel Pec
The Galaxy (12 shots) and Seattle (19) combined for 31 shots in their scoreless draw last time out.
Pec – who has two goals in 10 league appearances since joining the Galaxy in the offseason – recorded six of his team's attempts, but only hit the target once. He will be targeting an improvement here.
Real Salt Lake – Cristian Arango
Arango is the first Real Salt Lake player to contribute to at least one goal in five straight regular-season away matches, recording four goals and five assists during his streak.
He is just the second player since the start of last season to record a goal contribution in five straight MLS away matches, after the Columbus Crew's Cucho Hernandez.
MATCH PREDICTION – LA GALAXY WIN
The Galaxy have lost only one of their last 13 home matches against Real Salt Lake (nine wins, three draws) including going unbeaten through the last seven in a row.
The last two meetings in Carson have both ended level, though, after the Galaxy won nine of the previous 11 (one draw, one defeat).
However, Vanney's team have only lost one of their last 14 regular-season home matches dating back to last June, winning six and drawing six while averaging 2.2 goals per game throughout this run.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
LA Galaxy – 44.8%
Real Salt Lake – 27.8%
Draw – 27.4%
Rodgers promises Celtic's 'best version' in Old Firm clash
Brendan Rodgers has promised Celtic will be at their very best when they take on Rangers in the Old Firm derby on Saturday.
Rodgers’ side have a three-point advantage over their rivals and a superior goal difference going into the game, while a victory over Rangers would move them six points clear with just two games left to play.
Following the 3-3 draw in the Old Firm in April, Rangers stuttered with a draw and a defeat at the end of the first phase, while Celtic have won each of their last three matches to take control of the title race.
Going into the final league derby of the season, Rodgers is confident that his team are ready for the big test.
"When I look at the injuries and disruptions we've had this season, last weekend was about there in terms of availability, fitness and where the team is at," Rodgers told CelticTV.
"It's as good a place as we've been all season. When we will arrive into this weekend's game, this will be the best version of the team since I've been here."
Rodgers expects a raucous atmosphere at Celtic Park and highlighted how that helps the players in big matches.
He added: "The crowd in the Hearts game was brilliant for us. The emotion rolls down from the stands, and you see what it gives the players and how they respond to that.
"We will need the same at the weekend and I know we will get it. The supporters are liking what they see in the team. It should be a great occasion, and I’m really looking forward to it."
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