Celtic fans often roar in unison to chant ‘there ain’t no one better” than all-conquering captain Callum McGregor.

And that’s a notion Arne Engels would subscribe to, of course, but the club’s record signing also underlined his own personal quest for glory as he didn’t skip a beat when he filled the skipper’s boots. There was no armband, not yet, that went to Cameron Carter-Vickers but there was a greater responsibility bestowed on the all-action Belgian midfielder in the final 25 minutes of Saturday’s thrilling 5-2 triumph over St Mirren.

Engel s, with his captain nursing a sore calf, was tasked with taking on the signature role in the Celtic midfield and he grabbed it with both hands. Despite the remit being to sit at the base of the midfield still was able to get a pair of strikes away as his side went through the gears. Brendan Rodgers insisted the move to call time on the Celtic leader’s day was merely precautionary and that appears a sound strategy with a monumental Scottish Cup quarter final looming against Hibs next weekend.

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If nothing else, the rarest of departures of their marathon man offered a glimpse into how the champions go about their business in lieu of their leader. The exit allowed 21-year-old Engels to become the pivot and it worked a treat as his legs freed up super-sub Luke McCowan and Reo Hatate to wreak havoc with key roles in the goal glut as Yang bagged a brace and Daizen Maeda made it 26 on the season.

And Engels didn’t replicate McGregor by merely playing in his position, he understood the assignment was to make his voice heard and make sure his team-mates knew exactly what was expected of them.

He said: ‘’It’s a big position. Especially if you are one up, you need to focus on the defence part more than the offence. I was trying to help the team, to coach the team and not let them all go into the attack. The team did really well. I lead by speaking, with everything, pointing, I am always trying to help the team with that. I think I am improving with that.

“I am always not only thinking about attacking, and trying to score goals and assists, the most important thing is the three points. If you one up,

then you are trying to think about not conceding one. That has helped the team a lot this season, that we have this defensive mentality.”

The old theory about football teams with a jam-packed schedule is a gruelling fixture run will eventually tell but that’s not what Engels reckons about the team he loves starring in.

Celtic are specialists at heaping on the misery late in games and Yang’s brace plus Maeda’s latest strike took the game away from the Buddies. The midfielder credited the depth of the champions’ squad as the South Korean winger and pass-perfect Luke McCowan took the game away from the Saints.

And Engels is adamant Celtic revel in turning the screw while the opponents start to wilt under the pressure. He added: “I think we are really strong physically. We have a lot of games, so maybe that makes us really strong.

Perhaps others think the opposite. Even if we have so many games we are getting stronger and stronger. You see it in the games, they are getting tired and we are getting stronger, still going. Everything is really competitive, you see the players on the bench, coming in with a fantastic performance from them. They are also pushing and it keeps the other guys really awake, on their toes to perform. That’s a really strong thing.’’

Another title, but Engels’ first, is looming into view but the £11m man is living in the here and now. Celtic will be crowned champions on April 6 if they beat St Johnstone and record victories in the clashes with Rangers and Hearts.

If Engels is overcome with excitement, he isn’t showing it, as his icy cool exterior remained when broached with the news that Rangers had lost before Celtic kicked off in Paisley. He said: ‘’I think it is a really good position. It’s still not won, we still need to keep on going and keep on this winning run, the mentality we have. We have to keep on going and, in the end, we will be there.’’