An actual take a look at awaits for Celtic this Sunday as they make the troublesome journey to Livingston.
The Tony Macaroni Enviornment hasn't been a cheerful searching floor for the Parkhead facet in recent times and it is a venue they've already been defeated on this season.
However Ange Postecoglou 's facet are on a mission to wrestle the Premiership title away from Rangers and might make an actual assertion by returning for West Lothian with most factors.
David Martindale's facet are in-form, nonetheless, and have surged into the highest six.
It is an interesting conflict and Celtic went by means of their remaining preparations at Lennoxtown on Friday.
This is 5 issues we noticed.
A phrase from the skipper
Callum McGregor admitted this week it is a part of his remit as captain to verify the title rigidity sweeping Glasgow would not filter by means of to his team-mates.
Celtic gamers usually wax lyrical about how the skipper lets his soccer do the speaking on the coaching pitch however it's usually neglected how nicely the midfielder speaks in regards to the sport.
McGregor impresses each time he steps in entrance of the media and it is secure to imagine that interprets to how he helps lead Postecoglou's squad.
He was pictured providing some phrases of knowledge to Greg Taylor, maybe making good on that promise to defend his staff from the hysteria.
Josip the joker
Not solely do they each play right-back, however Josip Juranovic appears to be like to be the inheritor to Mikael Lustig within the hijink stakes, too.
The Swede was nicely generally known as Celtic's joker throughout a trophy-laden profession and it now seems Juranovic is taking over that mantle.
Each week the cameras catch the Croatian cracking jokes, elevating smiles and doing no matter it's he likes to do with that hat.
It is an fascinating distinction for a participant who's 100 per cent enterprise from the second he steps onto the pitch.
Ange contemplates
A lot of Postecoglou's Friday press convention centered on the problem Livingston will current his staff.
He'll be all too conscious of Celtic's ropey document on the Tony Macaroni, having added to it himself with an early season defeat.
Postecoglou has watched his staff grind out outcomes of late, in distinction to the bombastic performances on the flip of the 12 months however that is absolutely a fixture the place he'll take three factors in no matter method they are often procured.
The supervisor appeared in contemplative temper as he ready for certainly one of his most necessary staff choices of the marketing campaign.
Eyes on the prize
Postecoglou will definitely be pinning hopes on Jota rediscovering his groove as a part of that choice.
The on-loan Benfica winger was unplayable within the first few weeks of 2022 however hasn't fairly dazzled to the identical extent over the previous few fixtures.
Nonetheless simply 22, inconsistency is to be anticipated however Postecoglou spoke of making certain gamers hit their peak simply in time for the run-in.
He'll hope Jota hasn't already handed his for the marketing campaign given the strict take a look at Livi will give Celtic's ahead line this weekend.
Both manner, the Portuguese star was an image of concentrate on Friday.
Kenny within the combine
Johnny Kenny was probably the most low-key acquisition in Celtic's January procuring spree, but the younger Irishman nonetheless arrived in Glasgow with. burgeoning fame.
He hasn't but been seen in a first-team capability however was snapped within the thick of coaching on Friday.
Celtic could have Giorgos Giakoumakis again for his or her journey to Livi however with Kyogo nonetheless out, may Kenny be drafted in as a backup possibility this weekend?
Sport-changers off the bench have been briefly provide of late, so maybe Postecoglou is contemplating turning to a wildcard within the 18-year-old striker.