FORGET DERBY, KT’S HAPPY TO SEAL DEAL

KIERAN TIERNEY has played down the significance of Sunday’s potential title clincher against Rangers at Celtic Park, insisting that winning the league is a cause for celebration in itself.

There is the added sweetness for the Parkhead side in that they can formally be crowed champions with a win against their greatest rivals, but Tierney’s main focus isn’t on the drama of the occasion but rather on ensuring that Brendan Rodgers’ side get the three points they need.

It has been almost 40 years since Celtic last claimed a title courtesy of a win against Rangers. The Parkhead side are undefeated in the last 10

meetings between the sides but Tierney is wary of any potential backlash that could come from the Ibrox side.

“Of course [it would be nice to win league against Rangers],” said Tierney. “But the biggest dream scenario is to win the league. I don’t care how we do it as long as we win it.

“In seasons down the line it’s not who you win the league against that goes in the history books, it’s the fact you won it.

“Listen, we always want to play the Celtic way. We want to do it the way the manager wants us to play.

“But with these games that doesn’t always happen. It can be a scrappy game and it can be a goal in it either way. The key is to work hard and just take the win.

“It’s a massive, massive game – everybody knows and we look forward to it.”

Shortlisted for the PFA Young Player of the Year award, Tierney also claimed the goal of the season at Celtic’s annual dinner on Sunday night.

The 20-year-old could eclipse that at the weekend by finding the net against Rangers and while Tierney maintained that scoring against the Ibrox side would give him the same sense of elation as a goal against any other team, the smile and body language told a different story.

“It’s just like scoring against anybody,” he grinned. “I just love scoring goals for Celtic and when I do I will celebrate the same against anybody....

“It’s the same whether I score against Partick Thistle, Aberdeen or Kilmarnock. I have celebrated every goal exactly the same way. Every one. I just love the chance to celebrate with Celtic fans.

“We can clinch the league in front of our own fans on Sunday and it would be brilliant to score a goal. That was a surprise [goal of the season award].

“A goal on Sunday would maybe surpass that. Let’s see how it goes.”