Six games to go. A dirty half dozen, some might say.

Brendan Rodgers' public demeanour at leaving Ibrox unscathed after Sunday's pulsating 3-3 draw and with the status quo remaining at the top of the Scottish Premiership table said it all. Privately he might be slightly aggrieved at the fact that his men contrived to blow a 2-0 first-half lead and then draw the match when they had taken a 3-2 lead with 87 minutes on the clock.

For 45 minutes at least the Northern Irishman could be forgiven for thinking he was watching the champions-elect. In the opening period against Rangers at Ibrox, the men in the green and white engine room gave a midfield masterclass, which was so good that the booing from the home side supporters started as early as the seventh minute. Rodgers knew it. Especially when you consider:

a) Reo Hatate is still not 100 per cent match fit.

b) It was Tomoki Iwata's first start in a Glasgow Derby.

c) Matt O'Riley's form of late has been questionable.

d) Callum McGregor is not 100 per cent match fit.

The Celtic midfield simply ran out of steam in the end as Rangers attacked them in waves. It was the visitors who were relieved to get the last-gasp result courtesy of Rabbi Matondo's superb curled effort in the end. However, Rodgers had seen enough to convince him that the mood music and narrative were shifting. Shifting towards the champions. This was the day when Rangers were supposed to seize the title initiative away from Celtic. In the cold light of day, they didn't. For large parts of the game, their players were spectators and anonymous especially those patrolling the midfield areas.

It was perhaps apt that Rodgers described the midfield area as 'The Jungle'. For those of a certain vintage, they'll remember the notorious terracing at the old Celtic Park which was affectionately known as 'The Jungle'. It was an unforgiving place. Much like the Celtic midfield. That is an area which will go a long way to deciding the destination of this season's Scottish Premiership title. Celtic's starting trio at Ibrox earned fulsome praise from their boss.

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Rodgers said: "The midfield trio were absolutely outstanding. The midfield is the jungle as that's where it's won. All three played together.

"Tomo (Iwata) was excellent. He won the ball and passed it simply. Matty looked like a threat and Jack Butland made a great save from his header in the first half. It was a brilliant save. You see what Reo (Hatate) brings. He elevates the team to the next level with his composure, his touch and his play. These players will get fitter over the coming weeks as well.

"I thought collectively the team was excellent."

Rodgers is well aware that his team have been written off in certain quarters. It's time to re-evaluate his undervalued Celtic side. For the first time this season in the cauldron of Ibrox with no visiting supporters present Rodgers and his men showed exactly why they can win this title. When they get it right like they did for 45 minutes in Govan against their city rivals, Celtic are a bloody good football team. It was why Rodgers was proud of his men as he said: "I am super proud of the team. How we played and managed the occasion in the first half was brilliant.

"To be that comfortable in the game and also some of the level of our football was excellent. We attacked with the ball, we attacked without it. We could have been more comfortable at half-time. The whole thing leaving here with that performance and still with everything in our hands. What we showed was the level of our football and our fitness and how we could deal with pressure and manage that.

"We kept fighting, and we kept pushing with no supporters. I was so proud of the team."

The 51-year-old had every right to be proud of his charges. The result puts Celtic in a good position. The final instalment of the Glasgow Derby this season looks certain to be a league decider should everything go according to plan for both sides up until then. As Rodgers said: "It puts us in a really strong position.

"We still have a lot of work to do as there are still six games to go. When you have your nearest rival to play again in front of 60,000 at home and you will be stronger again, I am very happy with that."

Why wouldn't he be happy with that scenario? Here's the kicker though. There was a throwaway line by Rodgers amidst the swirling vortex of the drama that had just been played out in front of the Sky Sports cameras. Rodgers said: "We kept fighting and kept going. Overall, I am pleased.

"Some may be disappointed that we didn't win but we were much the better football team in terms of how we tried to work the game and play. With a bit more precision in our passing, we would have scored more goals.

"To be able to take that into the rest of the season with these players coming back, I am very excited about that."

Those seven words: "...we were much the better football team..."

Celtic Way:

They were left in suspended animation hanging in mid-air. They oozed class and authority. Rodgers was saying to everybody you may have watched an action-packed exciting, six-goal derby thriller but make no mistake about it Celtic is a better football team than Rangers.

He has also been telling everybody who will listen that Celtic will write their own narrative and pen their own story this season. If you weren't aware of it then his parting shot from the Ibrox media room would have left anyone in no doubt as to what Rodgers believes his side can achieve this season.

READ MORE: Celtic's Callum McGregor admits Glasgow Derby was chaos

He said: "It is great we can come here and I said to the players afterwards, I can see they were disappointed they had not won. For a team that has been written off and told they are going through the motions all year, I think we turned up. This is the business end of the season and we are ready to turn up.

"I have nothing but positivity in how mentally they were in the game, how they approached the game, the courage they played with and knowing the backing we have going forward. It will be both immense and huge for us."

Spoken with gravitas because he's such a class act. They were words uttered by a man who possesses the demeanour and presence of a Jock Stein, Martin O'Neill or Ange Postecoglou. Being the head coach of Celtic Football Club is the highest possible office in football management to Rodgers. His conduct at all times is exemplary. It is certainly becoming of the wonderful football club and institution that he represents.

It is all the Celtic support ever wants in their manager. A personality that exudes - dignity, coolness, calmness and authority. A bit like how the Celtic midfield performed in the opening 45 minutes at Ibrox, you could say.

It was also a glimpse of what is to come from Celtic down the home straight during the title run-in. If according to Rodgers the midfield is the jungle and that's where it is won then Philippe Clement's Rangers will be heading to Glasgow's east end to take on a refreshed and rejuvenated Celtic team who by the end of this month will have the services of a fully operational and fit Hatate as well as captain McGregor. Is it any wonder that Rodgers feels excited by that prospect?

Six to go for three in a row. Can Celtic reel off six wins on the spin down the stretch to clinch a third consecutive Scottish Premiership title? Rodgers, the Celtic players and the supporters certainly believe they can.

Welcome to the Jungle... Celtic have got fun and games in store. Rangers are coming down to the Paradise City. Where the grass is green and the football's pretty. Will it be enough for Rodgers and Celtic to take it to the end of the line?

Like the boss man said: "This is the business end of the season, we are ready to turn up."