NO MARGIN FOR ERROR
Carter-vickers targeting 10 straight wins for title grab
CAMERON CARTER-VICKERS has sounded the battle cry for Celtic’s title run-in by insisting the champions must win every remaining game between now and May.
Carter-vickers returned to the starting line-up at Parkhead on Wednesday might and scored the opener in a 7-1 disembowelment of Dundee.
And now the USA international has set a target of 10 more top flight wins and Scottish Cup glory as he races to make up for lost time after spending much of the season on the Lennoxtown treatment table.
Celtic remain two points behind rivals Rangers at the top of the Premiership table despite back-toback wins over Motherwell and the Dens Park outfit.
And they must negotiate a treacherous trip to face Hearts at Tynecastle on Sunday – 24 hours after the new leaders face Motherwell at Ibrox. But, asked if
Celtic are re-energised for the race to the line, Carter-vickers said: “Hopefully we’ve got that energy. We’ve 10 games left plus Scottish Cup games.
“Our aim is to win all the games we play. If we want to achieve what we want this season then we have to do that. We’re fully focused on that.”
Boss Brendan Rodgers has hailed the return to fitness of his first choice central defender as a key moment in Celtic’s season.
Full-back Alistair Johnston is also back in the starting line-up with midfield linchpin Reo Hatate also close to a return.
And Carter-vickers said: “I don’t know if it’s players coming back from injury – maybe it’s a bit of luck – or it’s down to how we are playing.
“But we know we’ve got a few games left now and we’ve got to attack them all, try to win all of them.”
The key to what comes next then, may very well depend on keeping Carter-vickers on the pitch and out of the treatment room, where he has spent so much of his time this season.
The man himself believes the worst is now behind him. He said: “I think so and I hope so. It’s been frustrating for myself being in and out with injuries.
“I’m hoping I can stay fit and help the team achieve things.
“I got 30 minutes at the weekend plus 60 minutes against Dundee. So that helps. I’m hopefully building my way back into it.
“It’s probably the first time in my career that I’ve had a season like this where I’ve been injured so much. But if you’re looking to have a long career then you’re going to have a season like that or two.
“So you’ve just got to get on with it and hopefully I’ll be able to play 90 minutes against Hearts at the weekend. It will definitely be a tough game.
“The last time we played them here we lost 2-0, so we know that we have to do well on Sunday.”