CELTIC boss Martin O'Neill has said his players have to keep chasing as they prepare for the final clash with Rangers this season, aiming to close the gap on league leaders Hearts.
Celtic have found themselves in unfamiliar territory this term and trail the Jambos by four points with just three games left, although the Edinburgh side have played a game more.
It's a far cry from the dominance the Hoops have enjoyed so far this century, having won 19 titles in that time and 13 of the last 14.
But having not been top of the table since matchday five, Celtic's fate is now back in their own hands after Hearts were held to a 1-1 draw at Motherwell on Saturday night.
It's easier said than done with games against Rangers, Motherwell and Hearts coming up but if the Hoops win their remaining fixtures they will once again be crowned champions.
"It's not a position that the football club has found itself in in recent years," O'Neill said ahead of Sunday's home game against Rangers.
"Generally speaking, they've gone clear and there's been no opposition.
"There's been plenty of opposition this year, not just from Rangers but obviously from Hearts so it's a big, big change, not something that a number of these players have been used to.
"You have to get used to it. You've been chasing, you have to keep chasing."
Derby test
First up in the run-in are Celtic's fiercest rivals Rangers.
Danny Rohl's side have stumbled in recent weeks, losing their last two games, while defeat at Celtic Park today will end their title chances.
As poor as Celtic have been this season, they have managed to frustrate Rangers several times, coming out on top in four of the meetings.
Rangers won 3-1 on their previous visit to Celtic Park this term when Wilfried Nancy was in charge of Celtic.
However, both league games at Ibrox have ended in draws, the most recent in March finishing 2-2 after Rangers had taken an early two-goal lead.
Celtic also beat Rangers in extra time in the League Cup semi-final at Hampden and won on penalties in the Scottish Cup quarter-final at Ibrox.
The Hoops have also won their last five fixtures coming into the game but O'Neill stressed that as with any Glasgow Derby, form usually goes out the window.
"It's an Old Firm game so I think that regardless of what the result was before that it'll be a strong Rangers side," he said.
"I think there'll be a big reaction as well [after Rangers' defeat to Hearts on Monday] so we've got to be ready for that.
"But the place will be rocking on Sunday and the crowd at this moment — there seems a bit of unison with the club, which is good news — and the players are fit so it'll be strong."
Celtic Park atmosphere
There has been no love lost between the Celtic fans and the board during what has been a tumultuous season.
However, with the ban on Celtic's Green Brigade now lifted, O'Neill said the fans could play their part on Sunday by creating an electric atmosphere to back the team.
"I probably played it down and maybe I wasn't sure when I came in here first of all," he said.
"Obviously there was a bit of ill-feeling at the time, it didn't seem a united football club.
"I said I wasn't sure it affected the likes of Maeda or Hatate or people like that but there's no doubt at all about it, the crowd in full voice from the start cheering the team on, even allowing for mistakes that we inevitably make, I think that's been very, very positive and I think it's rubbed off on the players."
He added: "The intensity, the atmosphere itself, both at Celtic and at Ibrox, it really is phenomenal.
"The atmosphere at Ibrox, particularly in the game where they scored two early on in the match, the place was really, really rocking.
"It compares to any atmosphere in Britain and probably in Europe and I think that could be echoed on Sunday."
Celtic v Rangers kicks off at Celtic Park at 12pm BST and is available to watch on Sky Sports in Ireland and Britain, while viewers in the US can catch the action on the CBS Sports Network.
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