JOHNSTON REVEALS TITLE MOTIVATION

MIKEY JOHNSTON insists Celtic will have to fight all the way to claim an eighth successive title.

The teenage winger came on at the start of the second-half as a substitute for Scott Sinclair in the goalless draw against Aberdeen at Parkhead on Saturday.

Neil Lennon’s second homecoming, with 60,000 there to welcome him back, ended in frustration as the Hoops shed their first points at home this season.

The Irishman, who took over following Brendan Rodgers’ defection to mid-table Leicester City, guided the team to wins over Hearts and Hibs in Edinburgh in his first two games since his return.

However, it all went a bit flat against dour Dons who came to stifle the play with players such as Max Lowe and Greg Stewart shadowing James Forrest and Kieran Tierney for the 90 minutes.

DON FOR…Mikey Johnston leaves an Aberdeen defender in his wake.

The stalemate kept the champions eight points ahead at the top with only nine games to play, but Johnston emphasised the silverware was not in the bag – yet.

The Scotland Under-21 forward, speaking to the Daily Record, said: “The league is still open, but it’s in our hands, as long as we play well and don’t take anything for granted.

“Everyone is motivated to win the title, it’s huge for us. It’s the same sort of pressure a lot of people in the dressing room have dealt with most years, so it’s familiar for a lot of them.

“The game was really frustrating, but it’s not too negative from our point of view because the league is still in our hands. So, we can’t be too down about it.”

Interim manager Lennon will now prepare his players to go again on Sunday when they travel to face relegation-threatened Dundee at Dens Park where they won 5-0 earlier in the campaign.