Rangers manager Graeme Murty has been “thrown to the garbage,” according to Celtic counterpart Brendan Rodgers.

Rodgers hit out at the treatment of Murty in the wake of his side’s 5-0 victory over Rangers, which saw them seal a seventh consecutive Premiership title.

For the second derby this month, Murty’s position was undermined in the days leading up to the game.

After chair Dave King cast fresh doubt on whether Murty would have his contract renewed in the summer — before Rangers’ 4-0 defeat in the Scottish Cup semi-finals — it emerged that Steven Gerrard was the front-runner to take over in the build-up yesterday’s encounter.

Murty twice stepped up as caretaker boss in 2017 and was then handed the job for five months after the club’s failed pursuit of Derek McInnes.

After being asked about Gerrard, Rodgers said: “I’m a wee bit reluctant to talk on it too much purely because Graeme Murty has been put in a job. Last year he was under-20s coach and everyone was saying: ‘He’s a good guy and he’s doing very well.’

“And now because of a couple of defeats and it hasn’t quite worked out, he’s just been thrown to the garbage really and I think it’s very, very discourteous.

“The guy went in there and he’s done his very, very best in what looks like, from the outside, to be very, very trying and difficult circumstances.”

The former Liverpool boss added: “Whatever direction they want to go in, Rangers, whether it’s Graeme or someone from the outside, of course that guy will want some assurances. From Stevie’s perspective, I know he has always wanted to manage.

“He started his badges along with Kolo Toure when we were all working together at Liverpool and certainly it’s something that will happen in the future. I’m sure one day he will go on and manage Liverpool.

“But it’s all about timing for Stevie. If he feels this is the right opportunity, then I’m sure he’ll look at it, but I haven’t spoken to him on it.”