"Our target has been to take it to the last day when we play Hearts and Rangers go to Tannadice." said Gordon Strachan. "We want to have a full house at Celtic Park and to have everyone expecting something to happen. Irrespective of what happens this weekend, that is now what we will see."
absence of club captain Stephen McManus
The Huns will play Aberdeen at Ibrox on Saturday whilst the Celts will travel to Easter Road to face Hibs on Sunday. The Huns management have been whinging recently about the order of play but Strachan doesn't think that it makes a great deal of difference whether his team take the field on Saturday or Sunday. "I don't really think it will make much difference at this stage," he said. "There would have been pressure on us anyway this weekend, no matter which of us played first."
The boss was obviously disappointed at dropping all three points to our nearest rivals last week but he insists that he couldn't have asked for any more from his side. "Rangers scored the only goal last weekend, and rightly they should be pleased with their victory." he said. "But I can't ask my players to play a certain way, watch them do that, then tell them I'm unhappy with them."
"Sure, I can be disappointed we didn't score," he continued. "Because that is what we are setting out to do every time we play, but in terms of how we've been playing, our commitment and our football, my players can hold their heads high. I think I've got this through to them because the response for the first hour against Dundee United was all anyone could ask of them."
The manager wasn't so happy with the final 30 minutes of that game however. "Quite simply, the game against United changed on them winning more tackles than us." he said. "We can't let that happen because then the nerves come into play."
The return of Scott Brown following his two-match suspension injected some much needed tenacity into the midfield area against United and the boss had special praise for Broony and goalscorer Glenn Loovens who has brought a calming influence to the centre of defence. Brown, of course, missed out on this stage of the title race last year following another suspension and Glenn Loovens has never experienced this type of pressure in his career but manager Strachan insists that the novelty of their first involvement at the business end of a title chase could be a bonus for the Bhoys.
"Glenn Loovens and Scott Brown were two of our better players in midweek." he said. "Taking up the challenge and playing without a fear. It could be because they have never experienced this before, and that can help you. I've always likened it to going to your first World Cup finals. It can be a dawdle. Then you go back for your next one, and everyone expects you to do the same again and that can be a problem for you."