Brendan Rodgers explains why Hearts beat Celtic

Lawrence Shankland and Stephen Kingsley ended a 52-game unbeaten league home run for Celtic

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers.

Hearts ended a 52-game record at Celtic on Saturday as they beat the Hoops 2-0 thanks to first half goals from Lawrence Shankland and Stephen Kingsley. While Shankland scored his 13th goal for Hearts this season, Kingsley scored his first for 20 months to put an end to Celtic's unbeaten league home run as the gap at the top of the table narrows to just five points.

Brendan Rodgers side have 42 points from their 18 games while Rangers have 37 from two fewer. Hearts, on the other hand, have jumped back up to third place and have one game in hand over St Mirren - who they will face this weekend - in fourth place.

Rodgers praised Hearts when talking post match about why Celtic fell to a shock defeat: "Give some credit to Hearts. They got a goal from the corner and then a second from a free-kick. They were stubborn and made it very difficult for us. We were very passive and lacked fluidity. The build up to the second goal was so passive that it was frightening."

Saturday was a poor performance from a side coming off the back of their first win in the Champions League. The Hoop fans booed their players off the pitch while hurling criticism at the club's board before the ex-Liverpool manager apologised to the fanbase in the post-match press conference. While the 50-year-old was full of remorse, he was also quick to cite the pressures of midweek fixtures as another factor contributing to the Celtic's defeat.

Speaking to Sky Sports, Rodgers said: "I want to apologise to the support base - I don't think I have ever had to that with regard to performance but today they deserve it. It's mid-December and you get, 60,000-odd fans here and the lack of desire and passion was just really really poor. It wasn't the whole team, Callum Mcgregor was brilliant, trying to drive the team on, and one or two others.

"It is just that consistency and mentality. We won a game in midweek and have played some really good football at times. There is a mentality that you need to have consistently and we didn't have that from the off."

When asked why Celtic appeared to be struggling so much, the Northern Irishman added: "It is mentality and an ambition and a drive from within and a spirit that keeps pushing you. Guys like McGregor, who have this incredible mindset - he had to play two or three positions to try and get the team going in the game - that is something that comes from within. We need to activate that.

"I think it is always hard after a game in the week. The performance level was nowhere near it - I take responsibility for that because I pick the team to go out and perform.

"So the result is on me. But at a club here you need that consistency and mentality because every game there is an expectation to win. We are playing in front of a full house, and we didn't perform, and that disappoints me."

Rodgers was also pressed about the vocal criticism of the club board, to which he replied: "You do your talking on the pitch and today was on myself and the players. Today was nowhere near the level of a Celtic player and that is something that falls on me. So I need to find the answers for this group and to ensure we can gain that consistency in the team."