“In 12 games under Martin and Shaun, we’ve actually accumulated the most points.”
“We saw a stat the other day. In 12 games under Martin and Shaun, we’ve actually accumulated the most points. There’s the other narrative. Throw that one out there, that since these guys have come in, we’ve been the better team. Everything else, all the noise, is for everyone else to talk about.
“We zone in on what we can do and what we can affect and then we’ll see what the outcome is.”
22.02.2026 Celtic v Hibernian, Scottish Premiership. Referee Matthew MacDermid conveys his VAR decision on Auston Trusty red card. Photo Kenny Ramsay IMAGO.
The frustration of the defeat to Hibs at Celtic Park is still there and regardless of the terrible decisions by VAR and the match referee and the MIBs on the Scottish FA appeals panel doubling down to protect their own, Callum McGregor remains convinced that the sending off was a terrible decision. We can watch every corner today with added interest.
“The red card for Auston Trusty is a really bad decision and it kills you.”
“Last week against Hibs, we lost. The red card for Auston Trusty is a really bad decision and it kills you with 20 minutes to go,” he said. “It’s been that type of season where, if you draw the game, it’s probably a good result. But you lose it in the last couple of minutes, which takes the sting out of anything good that did happen in the game.
“It’s probably been a season where the small margins have gone against you a little bit. But the boys are okay. We know where we are and where we need to be come the end of the season. here’s definitely enough quality and mentality in there to make it happen. But now it’s down to the players to go and make it happen,” Callum said.
A Celtic fan flies an Irish Tricolour on the way to Ibrox. theRangers v Celtic, Scottish Premiership, Ibrox, 11 March 2018. Credit: Photo by Stuart Wallace Shutterstock/IMAGO
On the eternal narrative that theRangers are favourites today, the Celtic captain reckons that’s merely down to home advantage and dismisses that as merely optics.
“Will it be a tough game? For sure it will be, because the crowd will be behind them.”
“That’s just perspective from the outside again. If the game was at Celtic Park, would everyone say we’re the favourites? I don’t know, probably they would. That’s just optics. You can’t actually do anything about that. That’s what people are talking about. And that’s fine, it’s not a problem for us.
“Will it be a tough game? For sure it will be, because the crowd will be behind them. You have to manage that and manage the experience on the day. But if you’re looking at this game, I’d say both teams are good sides. It can go any way on the day,” he said.
A dejected fan of theRangers sits with his head in his hands in the Govan Stand after watching his team lose 3-2 against 10 men Celtic. theRangers v Celtic, Scottish Premiership, Ibrox, 11 March 2018. Photo Photo by Stuart Wallace Shutterstock/IMAGO
“The only reason people are saying (the)Rangers are favourites is because it’s a home game. We can’t do anything about that. We can’t change where the fixture is played. We just have to go and do what we have to do to make sure the game looks the way we want it to look.
“Hopefully we can slide the margins towards ourselves and in the end pull off what will be a big result,” Callum McGregor said.
🇱🇻 Sir Alex Ferguson watched on as Hearts moved seven points clear at the top of the table after Claudio Braga’s goal sealed a 1-0 win over Aberdeen ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/iEIEww5FmS
— Sky Sports Scotland (@ScotlandSky) February 28, 2026
With Hearts getting a 1-0 win at Tynecastle against Aberdeen they have extended their lead over Celtic to nine points having played two games more. If Celtic win at Ibrox today and go up to Aberdeen in midweek and collect the three points then that gap is down to three points with Hearts having to come to Celtic Park post split.
Just keep on winning Celtic, that’s the message for Callum McGregor. The business end of the season kicks off today. Celtic need to get off to a flyer.
Callum McGregor and the players of Celtic pose for a photo as they lift the Premier Sports Cup following the Premiership match between Celtic FC and St Mirren FC at Celtic Park on May 17, 2025. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)
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Celtic in the Thirties by Matt Corr. Click on image to order
