CELTIC kick off three games in six days with a High Noon derby against Danny Rohl’s Ibrox side at Parkhead on Sunday.
Next up is a midweek trip to Fir Park to take on a Motherwell team who coasted to a 2-0 victory the last time the clubs met at the venue in the final game of 2025.
The curtain comes down on a turbulent, testing Premiership campaign when Hearts, currently three points ahead, visit the east end of Glasgow which could emerge as a winner-takes-all confrontation in a fascinating crescendo to the title quest.
The marathon – that started with a 1-0 win over St Mirren at the same venue on August 3 last year – now becomes a sprint to the finishing line when all will be revealed as the champions are separated from the also-rans.
THE THINKER…Martin O’Neill delivers his considred thoughts as he prepares the champions for the derby confrontation at Parkhead on Sunday. Image courtesy Celtic TV.
Martin O’Neill, a veteran of the all-Glasgow, no-holds-barred confrontations, is preparing for his fourth joust with Rohl and the the German is still awaiting his first success.
The charismatic Irishman was in interim charge first time-around when they Hoops overcame Rangers 3-1 in the Premier Sports League Cup semi-final at Hampden in November.
After returning for his second stint following 33 catastrophic days of Wilfried Nancy, O’Neill was in control at the beginning of March to inspire his players to a 2-2 league draw at Ibrox after the visitors had been trailing by two goals at the interval.
A week later, the Hoops ended the Scottish Cup hopes of the hosts when they won 4-2 on penalty-kicks following a scoreless stalemate after extra-time in a tense and dramatic quarter-final.
Now the city protagonists lock horns again and O’Neill accepts his team will face “a wounded animal” after Rohl’s team saw another half-time lead obliterated as Hearts fought back to triumph 2-1 at Tynecastle on Monday evening.
The defeat leaves the Ibrox outfit seven points adrift of the Edinburgh leaders and four behind Celtic.
GOVAN GLEE…Liam Scales leaps for joy as Auston Trusty congratulates Tomas Cvancara after the on-loan striker’s winning penalty-kick in the Scottish Cup triumph at Ibrox in March.
Anticipating another gruelling contest at the weekend, O’Neill emphasised the important the supporters have to play at this crucial stage of the crusade.
The 74-year-old team chief, speaking to Celtic TV, said: “I think there’s an underestimation of the power of the fans.
“And we’ve witnessed just in recent weeks, the full house, the crowd cheering for the team, the noise that emanates from the stadium.
“Again, it’s like a throwback to my very, very early games here.
“And, of course, we’ll get thwarted, the crowd will get anxious about things, but, generally, the last few games at Celtic Park, certainly the players haven’t only risen to the occasion, but they’ve noticed the amazing difference.”
The united front may be good enough to propel to three vitally-important points in the champions’ bid for a fifth successive title and their fourteenth crown in 15 years.
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