Celtic will retain title says Scott

SCOTT BROWN insists that stuttering Celtic will retain their SPFL Premiership crown. Aberdeen can go level with the league leaders on points if they overcome St Johnstone in Perth today. But Parkhead skipper Brown insists the fate of the title is still in Celtic’s hands. And despite rampant speculation over the future of manager Ronny Deila, the Scotland midfielder is convinced the experience and resources of the champions will tell in the coming weeks. Asked if Wednesday’s Pittodrie defeat teed up a bona-fide title race, Brown said: ‘There is always a title race but, at the end of

the day, we will win the league again. I’m absolutely certain. ‘I think Aberdeen will fight us all the way to the end of the season but we are three points clear, we know what we have to do and we know how to do it. ‘We are ahead of them. We have the biggest squad in the league, about 26 players in that dressing room now. We can chop and change four, five or six players and they are good players. ‘We’ll see what happens in the coming weeks but we have the players there who can pull things out. We have game winners, we have game changers, we have defenders. It’s just not all happening at once at the moment.’ In contrast with Aberdeen, Brown is one of a number of players in the Celtic dressing room with experience of completing a title marathon. Bemused by the clamour to write the Parkhead side’s obituaries when they remain top of the league, Brown added: ‘We are still three points clear in the league, that’s what people need to remember. They are still chasing us. ‘But we have the players here and we have two home games coming up. We need to keep it positive. We’ve done it for the last four seasons now. ‘Hopefully, we’ll be doing it at the end of the season as well and lifting that trophy.’ Meanwhile, on-loan Manchester City star Patrick Roberts is now in line for a place against East Kilbride in the Scottish Cup fifth round tomorrow.