TITLE DEEDS

Celtic’s McGregor insists derby win would seal crown

CALLUM McGREGOR insists Celtic are treating today’s visit of Rangers as a title decider. Victory in the Old Firm match will send Neil Lennon’s side 13 points clear at the top of the Premiership table with seven games left, a lead that would be virtually unassailable. Having lost to Steven Gerrard’s team in the last derby at Ibrox in December, McGregor (left) insists the champions will pay their opponents all due respect in today’s noon showdown. However, he acknowledges that a win would effectively clinch an eighth consecutive league crown. McGregor said: ‘I think everyone is looking at it almost like a title decider. ‘We know how big the magnitude of this game is. ‘They are always big

games, but there is probably a wee bit of emphasis on this.

‘If we get over the line on Sunday we are pretty much there. So that will be a big focus going back in.’

McGregor played at left-back when Brendan Rodgers took his side to Ibrox before the winter shutdown and departed on the losing side after Ryan Jack’s first-half strike settled the contest.

Although Kieran Tierney missed Scotland’s Euro 2020 double-header against Kazakhstan and San Marino with a calf injury, the full-back is hopeful of making the team today, thus freeing up McGregor to play in his favoured central midfield role.

McGregor admits the memories of Ibrox will ward off complacency today.

He added: ‘Obviously we’ll show massive respect to Rangers, you have got to do your work.

‘They showed in the December game that if we don’t turn up, don’t want to scrap and fight for every ball, they can beat us just as easily.’