Brendan Rodgers has spoken of his pleasure at Celtic's performance as they defeated Rangers 1-0, and played down suggestions that Moussa Dembele's departure had been a distraction in the build-up.

The striker was sold to Lyon for a club record fee before the transfer deadline, but not before he had posted critical tweets about the club and been removed from first team training by Rodgers.

Asked if it had been difficult to prepare for the Rangers game with the Dembele situation unfolding in the background, the manager explained he had told senior players but there had been no problem.

"No," he said. "It was very easy.

"Like I say, you have to park the stuff that was going on.

"After it all happened, I work very closely with all my players but in particular my senior players, I pulled them into my office and explained exactly where we were at. They respected that and then we walk out the room and we get on with it.

"I think you see in the performance today the spirit of the team as well as that quality.

"So it's going to be an exciting season for us again and we deserve a rest now. Some of the players have got international duty but we come back and look to push on between now and Christmas."

Celtic dominated possession against their city rivals and created a host of chances in their victory. Rodgers said he had been impressed by their attitude and workrate as well as their quality.

"I've always come into these games and tried to ensure that our players have a calmness in order to play well," he said.

"First and foremost, to have a chance of winning you have to perform and I thought we performed exceptionally well. I think Allan McGregor's made some outstanding saves along with the crossbar that probably kept the scoreline down a little bit.

"It's a huge credit to the players how we had to defend and in any moments of danger we were pressing really aggressive and worked our socks off, which you have to do.

"And you saw the composure we had with the ball in order to stay patient, to move it and create opportunities.

"So it was an outstanding win and a very good performance."