Luke McCowan has warned league leaders Hearts that Celtic now have them firmly of their sights after securing back-to-back wins for the primary time underneath new supervisor Wilfried Nancy.
The defending champions had been 4-2 winners at Livingston on Saturday and moved to inside three factors of the Tynecastle males, who misplaced to Edinburgh rivals Hibernian earlier within the day.
Celtic journey to Motherwell on Tuesday night realizing a victory would see them transfer stage on factors on the prime of the desk forward of the second Outdated Agency Premiership derby of the season at Parkhead this weekend.
‘We are able to’t (move up this chance),’ stated McCowan. ‘December and January are when a very powerful video games are within the league.
‘We all know the subsequent efficiency needs to be large towards Motherwell aspect who’ve been in type.
‘I’m sorry to be robotic however each sport you play for Celtic is pivotal. You might have seen just lately after we went by a little bit of a nasty run that it was like the tip of the world.
Luke McCowan says Celtic cannot miss the chance to attract stage with Hearts on Tuesday
Benjamin Nygren celebrates scoring Celtic’s first purpose of their 4-2 victory over Livingston
Celtic boss Wilfried Nancy congratulates his gamers on securing a second successive win
‘We simply want to remain on prime of our performances, hold combating and we are going to get there.
‘After all it might be good to enter subsequent weekend stage on factors on the prime however we have to concentrate on the performances.’
Celtic had been made to work for the win towards Livi, with the groups sharing 4 targets between them within the first 10 minutes.
Benjamin Nygren fired the guests in entrance shortly after the half-hour mark. Then Arne Engels slotted residence a penalty earlier than the interval to safe the three factors.
McCowan stated: ‘It was a sport between two groups who had been fairly open, if I’m being trustworthy.
‘That wasn’t the beginning of the sport that we wished. We need to attempt to dominate as a lot as we will and we didn’t do this. Nonetheless, it exhibits the spirit of the gamers that we fought again.
‘We have now the standard within the crew. Benji got here up with that all through the sport, however now we have that everywhere in the pitch. We have to imagine in that extra.’
McCowan admits there may be loads to enhance on defensively, however believes the crew are transferring in the correct course underneath Nancy after a shaky begin to the brand new supervisor’s Celtic profession.
‘(Conceding targets) just isn’t a priority if you happen to go and outscore groups,’ he stated. ‘However you don’t need that to all the time be the case.
‘You need to be as strong as you’ll be able to. We have to gel collectively and ensure it doesn’t occur as a lot because it has been.
‘Enjoying at Celtic is all the time danger and reward. We play like no different crew within the league. We invite groups on and play a passing sport, the odds are larger on our aspect than they’re on different groups.
‘That’s the chance and reward of it. If we lose the ball in areas of the pitch, the opposite crew might be in your last third.
‘We all know that’s the type but it surely’s about being strong when now we have the ball offensively and ensure groups can’t counter.’
Towards Livingston, McGowan lined up in an unfamiliar wing-back position for the second consecutive week, and the previous Dundee man admits he’s nonetheless attending to grips with the place.
‘It’s a battle, I’ll let you know that,’ he stated. ‘They pinpointed me on that left aspect and put each header on me, which wasn’t nice!
‘Hear, I’m beginning and enjoying and that’s a very powerful factor. I simply need to assist the crew and get the game-time I wished.
‘We’re successful and the boys are doing properly, so I simply need to hold doing it.’
