Johnny Sexton is confident Ireland can reach international rugby's "top table" next year after rounding off 2020 with a 31-16 win over Scotland.

With home games against England and France in next year's Six Nations, captain Sexton believes Ireland can prove they are among the world's best.

"We're not at the top table yet," he said.

"We're just below that at the moment but I'm confident in this team and the coaching staff that we can go to that level and we can get there. Hopefully in February we'll be able to get there.

"Today was a good end to the year. We need to just keep evolving, keep improving. I think we have."

Ireland emerged from Scotland's first-half purple patch unscathed in Dublin before turning the screw in the second period to outmuscle and outscore their opponents.

It was a much-needed victory for Farrell with pressure mounting after another emphatic defeat by England - 18-7 on 21 November - and a poor performance in a 23-10 victory against Georgia last week.

The head coach said after the game that his side remain a "work in progress", and pointed to the host of new faces that made their international bows this year.

Ulster prop Eric O'Sullivan came on as a replacement to become the 11th player to make his debut under Farrell.

A home win over Scotland will not silence the doubters, but the victory will at least allow Ireland to leave 2020 behind them and move forward with a solid victory to build on.

"We're happy with the way we're improving," said Sexton.

"I admitted that we haven't shown it in a full 80-minute performance, we probably didn't show it in a full 80-minute performance tonight but it's Test match rugby, it's not as easy as just turning up and having it your own way for 80 minutes.

"It's hard. It's different to any other type of rugby out there and I'm including the Champions Cup in that."

Sexton acknowledged there was frustration in both the Autumn Nations Cup defeat by England and the 35-27 loss in France on 31 October that cost Farrell's side the Six Nations title.

"We're judging ourselves by the highest of standards," Sexton said. "We wish we had beaten England away and we wish we had beaten France away.

"We wish we were in there with the Six Nations trophy under our belt and we felt that was there for the taking and we'll live with that forever. There's no-one that hurts more than us when we don't perform on the big days."