Tuesday 2 August 2016 11:07, UK
Scott Brown believes Aberdeen still pose the biggest threat to Celtic's bid to win a sixth Scottish Premiership title in a row, despite Rangers' return to the top flight.
The SPFL season gets back underway this weekend as Brendan Rodgers' side travel to Hearts on Sunday, live on Sky Sports 1.
Rangers open the Premiership season, also live on Sky Sports 1, on Saturday against Hamilton after winning promotion back to the top flight under Mark Warburton last term, where they also beat Celtic in the Scottish Cup semi-final at Hampden Park.
However, despite the addition of the likes of Joey Barton, Niko Kranjcar and Josh Windass at Ibrox, Brown believes the Dons will be his side's main challengers again this campaign and insists he is not thinking about the Old Firm fixtures.
"I think Aberdeen (will be our main rivals) after the last couple of seasons," Brown told Sky Sports News HQ. "They have been exciting to watch, they've come to Celtic Park and got points and we have struggled up there so hopefully we can do a little bit better this season.
"We'll see that when it comes [playing Rangers], it is the fifth game of the season so we have a few games before that and, as I said, Aberdeen have been great the past couple of seasons and so have Hearts as well coming up last year, so we expect more of the same from those two.
"It will be good - it is always good, a Rangers-Celtic game, especially in a packed atmosphere but there are lots of huge games for us coming up and that is a way down the line.
"Last season was a little bit disappointing overall but we still got the job done and hopefully it will be a lot like the same this year as well. We have started off really well in the Champions League qualifiers and hopefully we can push that on into the league.
"This is always the number one priority, it is huge for us to try and get six-in-a-row. We fought well last year and we deserved it after a long, hard season."
Brown also praised new boss Rodgers and he thinks Celtic's early start to the season, which continues with the second leg of their Champions League qualifier against Astana on Wednesday, could be a help going forward.
"Training has been exceptional, he is a great manager to work under, what he has done for Liverpool and Swansea, the way they play, the great style of football and we are trying to get that at Celtic Park," Brown said.
"We still have a long way to go but it has been an interesting start to the season, only six or seven weeks into it and everyone seems to be enjoying it.
"He has strengthened the back already, bringing big Kolo [Toure] in and our strike force, with Moussa [Dembele] coming in as well, we have brought a couple of good players in and hopefully that strengthens the squad.
"We went over there [to play Astana] and got the away goal, which is always going to help us. We played well on the day and we maybe could've sneaked another one but it is going to be a great atmosphere back at Celtic Park and we are looking forward to the game on Wednesday night.
"We are about eight or nine games deep already so it has been a great start to the season but as soon as Sunday starts we will be focused on the league yet again."
