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Callum McGregor: 'We will keep focused until end of the season'

The managerless Hoops are 18 points behind Old Firm rivals Rangers at the top of the table.

Callum McGregor insists pride and preparation will underpin Celtic's end to the season.

With seven Scottish Premiership matches remaining, the managerless Hoops are 18 points behind Old Firm rivals Rangers at the top of the table with the quest for 10 successive titles in tatters.

Neil Lennon resigned as manager last month with assistant John Kennedy stepping in as interim boss and he began his tenure with a 1-0 home win over Aberdeen at the weekend.

Ahead of the  trip to Tannadice on Sunday to play Dundee United, midfielder McGregor told Celtic's official website he is looking to end the campaign on a positive note with an eye to next season.

He said: "It's important to regroup and go again.

"We're playing for pride. At Celtic, you win every game and that's what we have to get back to.

"We have to get back to that ruthless mentality where we're fully prepared, understanding our roles within the team and putting that all together.

"We look at every game as an opportunity to get better, become more organised and win games.

"We're judged on results at the weekend so we have to get results.

"This period between now and the end of the season is about preparing for the start of next season.

"We have a good basis here over the next eight weeks to really put our foot to the floor and continue to get better."

The last time Celtic visited Tannadice was last August when with Albian Ajeti's 83rd-minute goal gave the Hoops a narrow 1-0 win, with a 3-0 victory at Parkhead in December.

McGregor said: "We're expecting a really tough game.

"The two games against them have been tough, so we'll need to be at our best to get something.

"It's traditionally always  a tough game there. The pitch is a little bit tighter, they pressed us very well in the first game there and we had to wait until late on to get the goal from Albian, so we expect more of the same.

"We're fully prepared for the game and when the game comes, we have to be bang at it to get a result."

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Celtic's Conor Hazard in action during the Scottish Cup final with Hearts on December 20, 2020
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Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
Championship Group
CCeltic440092286490
2RangersRangers430184295584
3Hearts412151391267
4Kilmarnock41124543255
5St Mirren41124449-547
6Dundee40044867-1941
Relegation Group
1Aberdeen44004650-447
2Hibernian42025158-745
3Motherwell42025557-243
4Ross County41123665-2934
5St Johnstone40132753-2632
RLivingston42022869-4124
 
First Phase
CCeltic33246380265478
2RangersRangers33243672234975
3Hearts33195946341262
4Kilmarnock33131284334951
5St Mirren33127143843-543
6Dundee331011124454-1041
7Hibernian33912124451-739
8Motherwell33813124651-537
9Aberdeen33811143549-1435
10St Johnstone33710162446-2231
11Ross County3379173256-2430
RLivingston3339212259-3718


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