Celtic hold a commanding six-point lead at the top of the Scottish Premiership as they look to force the title over the line this week.
Kilmarnock and St Mirren stand in their way; however, events elsewhere could hand the Bhoys the trophy if Dundee prevent Rangers from winning at Ibrox tomorrow evening.
Brendan Rodgers has cut a determined figure in the Parkhead dugout over the last few weeks, leading his side to eight victories in their last nine matches, the outlier being a draw away to their city rivals in front of no away supporters.
Despite questions earlier in the campaign about the mentality of this squad, Celtic have come in clutch when it has mattered, not least in their Glasgow Derby triumph last weekend against Philippe Clement’s outfit.
Nevertheless, club captain Callum McGregor isn’t keen for his side to rest on any laurels, claiming there is still work to do for the Bhoys between now and the end of this term.
He recently offered an insight into the mentality of the Celtic dressing room, stating: “We want to go and win the next two games and and have a strong end to the season and understand that the cup final is still to play as well.
“I don’t think it matters if we seal it in the next game. I think we understand there’s more work to be done between now and the end of the season.”
Until it is mathematically confirmed, Celtic have to approach their last two league encounters like any other to guarantee no lapses in concentration across the board.
Ally McCoist says Callum McGregor was ‘outstanding’ vs Rangers
Reaction from last weekend’s derby affair will continue to dominate the headlines for some time to come, and McGregor’s performance has earned plenty of plaudits from teammates and pundits alike.
Recovering from Achilles’ trouble to lead from the front, the Scotland international won seven duels, made four key passes, and registered an assist against Rangers, expertly laying on Matt O’Riley’s opener [Sofascore].
In conversation live on talkSPORT, even Ally McCoist couldn’t hide his admiration for McGregor’s display against his old side, conceding the 30-year-old is a ‘really outstanding’ player who made that abundantly clear last Saturday at Parkhead.
He stated: “I was going to say. Looking at Celtic, they look a different team when Carter-Vickers plays, but the one player for me who has been really outstanding, and they definitely missed is Callum McGregor, there is no doubt about that, but Matt O’Riley came up with another goal at the weekend. He has been excellent.”
Celtic have put their foot to the floor under Brendan Rodgers
Celtic have had a lot of pressure on their collective shoulders this season; however, they have handled it admirably, with familiar faces such as McGregor leading the fight to the bitter end.
The return of Daizen Maeda has been another deciding factor in the final rally of this campaign, and his athletic ability helped to offer the Bhoys another dimension against Rangers last weekend.
When the pressure was on, Celtic stepped up and put their foot to the floor. It is now time to finish the mission this week and ensure Rodgers’ first year back in charge at Parkhead is a successful one.
