Dens Park clash sole focus for Hoops, claims Gordon

Goalkeeper Craig Gordon insists his eyes are solely on Dundee as Celtic prepare for three crucial away games in succession.

The Hoops are in Dundee tonight for the Betfred Cup quarter-final before facing Rangers in the Ladbrokes Premiership at Ibrox on Saturday.

Boss Brendan Rodgers then takes his side to Belgium for Wednesday’s second Champions League Group B game against Anderlecht, where the result will go a long way to determining the Parkhead club’s future in Europe this season.

Most of the attention may be on the fixtures in Govan and Brussels, but Gordon is looking no further than Dens Park, where the visitors will look to extend their unbeaten domestic run to 56 games while booking a semi-final spot.

“It is the next game so that is the one we focus on,” the 34-year-old Scotland international said. “We try to keep winning matches.

“We feel as if we are playing fairly well. We have done what we set out to do this season in terms of qualifying for the Champions League and maintaining our unbeaten domestic run so we go into it looking forward to it, to try to get into the next round.”

The former Hearts and Sunderland keeper is still purring from the pleasure of denying Davis Keillor-Dunn in the 4-0 win over Ross County at Celtic Park on Saturday.

Staggies boss Jim McIntyre described Gordon’s second save in a double block as “incredible”, the first having come from substitute Craig Curran.

“They had a few half-chances,” the Hoops goalkeeper said. “You always have to be switched on and make sure you are not giving those chances away. But it was a good save, one that I am very pleased with and it is nice to contribute.

“At that stage it was only 2-0 and within a minute it goes to 3-0 and the game is over. It was a big moment for me because it means it is a big moment in the game.

“You can perhaps do that at 3-0 or 4-0 and it doesn’t have a big consequence but that one did and that’s what makes a good save special.”

Dedryck Boyata is in the Hoops squad for the Dens Park clash. The Belgian defender is available for the first time this season after recovering from a knee injury picked up against Slavia Prague in a summer friendly.

Defender Erik Sviatchenko and midfielder Eboue Kouassi (both knee) are in the latter stages of rehabilitation.

Craig Gordon pictured with the Betfred Cup silverware.