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Callum McGregor has insisted he is not keeping a special eye on Hearts at the top of the table — and insisted that anyone can get off to a flier after just half-a-dozen games in the league.
The Tynecastle outfit now sit two points clear at the top of the Premiership following a 3-0 win over Falkirk thanks to Celtic drawing a blank at home to Hibs.
However, Parkhead skipper McGregor claims he was more than happy with his side’s overall performance and believes they will get to where they want to be if they carry on creating as many chances.
Asked about there being any reaction to Hearts’ recent run or if he will be looking closely at the standings, McGregor replied: ‘No, we’re six games in. Maybe at 36 games, you start looking at the table, but not at six games in.
‘It’s such a long season and there is so much football to be played. We’re thinking about performances and getting up to speed. Although we didn’t win the game (against Hibs), I am sure if we play like that we’ll amass enough points to be where we want to be.
‘They (Hearts) are six games in. If you win all six, you’re top of the league. Anyone can get off to a good start. Aberdeen did it last year. If you win the games in front of you, you collect enough points.
McGregor leads the Celtic players' applause of the support after the full-time whistle
Johnny Kenny got on the end of a cross late on but couldn't find the back of the net
Hearts have moved to the top of the standings following their 3-0 defeat of Falkirk
‘Our objective over 38 games is to finish top of the league, so we can judge it when that happens.
'Performance-wise, we did everything apart from putting the ball in the net. We limited them to nothing. We were probably as slick as we’ve been in the middle to third part of the pitch. We created massive amounts of good chances. On that type of performance, the goals will start to come. If we play that way every week, we will win more than we don’t.’
Celtic fans also staged a protest against the board and major shareholder Dermot Desmond, who was 3,500 miles away at the Ryder Cup in New York, by refusing to sing for the first 12 minutes of the match.
McGregor insists the players’ focus, though, is purely on producing the skills to make them happy again.
‘When the game starts, the players don’t really notice too much,’ he said. ‘After that, you hear a little bit and the atmosphere is there. It is on the team to put in performances to make everyone happy. That doesn’t change.’
Fans are now preparing to be silent for the first 29 minutes of Thursday’s Europa League home clash with Sporting Braga, but McGregor has no concerns about that leaking into the team’s performance.
Hibs boss David Gray watches on as his side manage to hold out for a point
‘If we play like that on Thursday night, I’m pretty sure we’ll win the game,’ he said. ‘We were searching for rhythm and this was as good as it’s been in the football sense of creating a lot of chances.’
Manager Brendan Rodgers, meanwhile, preferred to steer clear of commenting on the protests.
‘I can only focus on the football,’ he said. ‘That’s the challenge for me at the moment, to give the supporters that belief and hope we’ll continue to improve.
‘They’d have liked to have won the game and I want people coming away talking about football rather than silence and protests. After that 12th minute, you felt the support and lift which can make a difference.’
Celtic have only scored eight times in six league games while Hearts have hit the net on 15 occasions, but Rodgers is remaining calm ahead of the Braga match.
‘We aren’t conceding many. New players are coming in and understanding how we’re working. You can see the connections are getting there and that instinct to finish will come,’ he said.
Paulo Bernardo fires an effort at goal but was unable to break the deadlock
‘We just need to step up in the final third. I can’t be displeased by the performance against Hibs. We were very dominant. Even until the end, I felt we would get the goal.’
Hibs boss David Gray, meanwhile, was pleased at the way his squad answered some searching recent questions by keeping a clean sheet.
Gray, who took off Jamie McGrath because of an Achilles tendon issue, said: ‘I am delighted for the players because a lot has been made of us defensively of late.
‘We have maybe let ourselves down a couple of times by switching off at key moments, but you know the concentration required here and it needs everyone to be at the top of their game.
‘I thought they stood up to it and saw the game plan through. We didn’t carry enough of a threat, but I am not going be critical of that.
‘It was about answering questions from a defensive point of view and we are still undefeated in the league. It’s job done.’
