Celtic can top the invincibles

GORDON Strachan believes Celtic can top last season’s Invincibles’ clean sweep by retaining their treble.

The former Parkhead and Scotland boss reckons Brendan Rodgers’ men had it all their own way last term as t hey won all t hree domestic trophies without losing a game.

It has not been quite so easy this ti me round, though.

Hearts ended their record-breaking 69-match unbeaten run with December’s stunning 4-0 Tynecastle triumph.

Steve Clarke’s rejuvenated Kilmarnock also upset the champions and Strachan says, on the whole, his old side have had much more to contend with this season especially with star frontmen Moussa Dembele and Leigh Griffiths both having struggled with injury.

And for that reason, the ex-Scotland boss believes this year’s achievement would rank as a more impressive feat.

“It’s been harder f or Celtic this year,” he said ahead of Sunday’s William Hill Scottish Cup semi-final with Rangers.

“Neil Lennon’s made Hibs a better side, Rangers are better this year and those two have made the league harder.

“Obviously you only need to look at Hearts, too, when they beat Celtic 4-0 under Craig Levein, so the standard of the teams have made life a bit harder for Celtic and have pushed them a bit more.

“They had so many players at top form last year but now you look at the big fella up front, Dembele, and Griff — they’ve both been injured at ti mes this season.

“Putting that all together, it would be a f antastic achievement if Celtic get the treble again as they’ve definitely been put under more pressure this year.”

Former Celtic and Scotland boss Gordon Strachan.