PREMIERSHIP

years – is shown by the way they reacted to Rangers going level on points with them following that victory two days before Hogmanay.

Rangers have since splashed out on Jermain Defoe and Steven Davis but Celtic have dropped only two further points and go into tonight’s clash at St Mirren 13 points clear of their nearest challengers. To pour further salt on their rivals’ wounds, Mcgregor believes Celtic owe their surely imminent eighth-successive title win to the way they felt at Ibrox that afternoon. It was mentioned before kick-off on Sunday.

“Rangers deserved to win on the day, they were the better team,” said Mcgregor. “We accepted that and we are not going to shout about it and make noise and try and deflect from the actual result. We took it on the chin.

“On the flipside, we deserved to win the game on Sunday so we celebrated that. It’s up to Rangers the way they want to conduct themselves. We always try and do it with humility.

“The game in December was actually very good for us. We had a game in hand, so it was okay that way – we were never going to drop behind or whatever. But, in defeat, we learned a lot about ourselves that day about refocusing for the rest of the season. From December to now we have been near

0 Callum Mcgregor contrasted the reaction of the Celtic and Rangers players to Old Firm defeats. enough perfect, with results, performances and everything.”

An unexpected extra test was the departure of manager Brendan Rodgers to Leicester City which has meant a return for Neil Lennon. “It shows how focused this group of players are to go and keep succeeding every season,” added Mcgregor.

“We knew how sore it was to lose that game,” he added. “We can’t just turn up and expect to win. We did some great work out in Dubai during the

winter break. As you can see the results and performances since then have been first class.”

Mcgregor watched from the sidelines as tempers exploded following the final whistle on Sunday. He contends Celtic were within their rights to celebrate – just as Rangers were in December. But the influential midfielder was certainly less conspicuous than others.

“I was hiding!” he said. “It’s just the way I am as a person,” he added. “When the game is going on you will do anything you can to win. But when it’s finished if there’s been any flashpoints I don’t see any point in getting involved – there will probably be retrospective action so you run the risk of damaging your team if you get involved. It does not mean anything once the final whistle has gone. You have your chance in the 90 minutes to affect the game.”

However, Mcgregor defended

Scott Brown’s involvement in several of the game’s major incidents. “I don’t think Broonie did anything wrong,” he said. “The way he was treated on the pitch – he has basically been assaulted twice for a wee bit of mind games. It’s a charged atmosphere and you have to expect it. Both sets of fans are going for it, the players are going to try to get an edge whatever way they can. ”

Alfredo Morelos’ apology perhaps said it all – the Rangers striker was sent off for lashing out an elbow at Brown after the Celtic skipper clipped his heels. “He will know he has been in the wrong and it’s cost his team,” said Mcgregor. “He has been man enough to come out and apologise.”

● Mcgregor was speaking at an event to launch the “Celtic FC festival” at the SEC in Glasgow from 22-24 July where an invite has been extended to everyone to enter “the wonderful world of Celtic”.