Callum McGregor aims to ram home the message Celtic are top dogs against Rangers.
The Hoops skipper knows three points against their rivals at Parkhead will fire the club to within touching distance of the title. Celtic are facing a major injury sweat over midfielder Reo Hatate and defender Greg Taylor – although playmaker Aaron Mooy is winning his race to be fit. Ange Postecoglou’s men have a nine-point lead with the Viaplay Cup trophy already in the cabinet, and McGregor is determined to hammer home Celtic’s dominance this weekend.
He said: “A game at home against a big opponent, we want to send a message, of course we do. When we turn up we have to perform, we have to be hungry. If we do all these things hopefully we’ll have a positive result. If that all works to plan we’ve done our job properly. We understand a win puts us in a really good position. Again, we approach it the same way we do for every game, they’re all big games for us.
“The manager demands that of us every time we’re on the pitch. He wants us to be at our absolute maximum, this weekend won’t be any different.
"We do understand if we win it puts us in a good position so we’ve got that added incentive if you will. All we’re thinking about is win the game and we’ll see where we’re sitting on Sunday.
"These games are always taken in isolation. Whenever they come around it doesn’t matter if you’ve won the last one, last five or lost the last five, it doesn’t really matter.
“On the day you have to win and send your supporters home happy. That’s what it means to everyone around the world and you understand the expectation.
"Whether there’s a one-point gap or nine-point gap, it doesn’t really matter. And let’s not kid ourselves, they’d be the same if the shoe was on the other foot, that’s the nature of competitive sport.
“You want to be the winner and you want to be dominant, that’s the way we’re all wired. If we weren’t we wouldn’t be in this game. We understand there’s an opportunity there and we’ll be doing everything we can to maximise it.”
McGregor revealed Hatate’s Old Firm fate is in the balance after he missed training yesterday, adding: “Reo’s been touch and go all week. Obviously we’re hoping to try and get as many good players fit and on the pitch as we possibly can. We’ll see where we end up.
“Reo’s been outstanding. He came in and hit the ground running and has been getting better, stronger, fitter and understanding the gameplan even more. The last three or four months he’s been absolutely excellent.
"If we can continue to get that kind of output from him between now and the end of the season hopefully we’ll be in a good place.”
Full-back Alexandro Bernabei is on standby if Taylor fails to make it, after the defender suffered a dead leg in last weekend’s win at Ross County.
Liel Abada has already been ruled out but McGregor said: “This is why the manager wants a strong squad. When things like this happen the guys who come into the team, we don’t notice a drop off in quality or intensity.
"The guys have been working hard and the manager has been big on players taking their chance when they get it.
When someone is out it’s an opportunity for someone else.
!The strength of the squad has really helped us. You saw it last weekend when Bernabei scored from the bench. We’ve had really high numbers with players coming on and impacting games.”
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