Celtic back up Callum McGregor's talk as captain urges surge for the title line

Callum McGregor says that Celtic showed the fighting qualities of champions in the win over Rangers, as he hailed his teammates for backing up his pre-match confidence that they would get the job done when it mattered most.

McGregor admits that the champions had to dig in late on in as the ten men of Rangers threw everything at their city rivals, but Celtic stood firm to seal a win that now puts them within touching distance of the Premiership title.

The Celtic captain was bullish before the match, challenging Rangers to ‘show what they have got’, and he was delighted that his team proved they could handle what Philippe Clement’s men had to offer once again.

“I think the previous games have given us the confidence,” McGregor said.

“We understand that we can show up and perform in the big games. And we have what it takes to get over the line.

“You then bring in a home game, the way we play we want to get on the front foot. By no means do we not think it is going to be difficult because we have been in difficult games this season and not been perfect.

“If you can get the ingredients you need not get over the line, you try and do the right things as much as possible and you can back each other up and defensively and fight for each then it gives you a great chance.

“I spoke to the lads in the changing room and the way we handled [the momentum change late on] and dug in and fought, making blocks, making tackles in that last ten, fifteen minutes was outstanding and such a vital ingredient if you are going to be successful as a team.

“I can only speak for us and what’s in our dressing room. It is never going to be perfect. You will have bad days in these fixtures. Two good sides coming up against each other. You need the fine details to fall for you as well.

“But I can only look after what’s in our dressing room and try and give the boys as much confidence and togetherness as possible, and I think so far in the games we have shown up reasonably well.

“And we understand there’s another big one at the end of the season as well.”

McGregor has now challenged his teammates to sprint over the finishing line in the title and ensure they arrive at Hampden for their Scottish Cup Final clash with Rangers full of confidence.

“The result today is obviously a big one in terms of the six points, it gives us a bit of breathing space,” he said.

“But to be honest we don’t want it. We want to go and win the next two games and have a strong end to the season and we understand there’s a cup final to play as well.

“I don’t think it matters if we seal it in the next game, we understand there’s more work to be done between now and the end of the season. We will try and get over the line. But we can still push and try and get better.

“Of course, mathematically we understand where we are now. Two games to go, six points clear but nothing is won yet. We have two difficult games to go, Rugby Park is a difficult place to go. We lost there earlier in the season so we understand how hard that is going to be.

“We have got to rest and recover and then we give everything we have there.”

That will be top of the agenda for McGregor, who has now played 90-odd minutes in back-to-back fixtures despite admitting he is still struggling with an Achilles issue.

“I certainly feel in a much better place than what I have been in the last four, five, six weeks even,” be said.

“Not totally amazing. But much, much better. I think you can see I am certainly moving a lot more freely. I’m back to my usual self.

“When we got the diagnosis it was not looking good. We sat down and you don’t want to be watching, so we tried to push and be as aggressive as possible and understand there might still might be pain there, but when you have days like this it is worth it.”