Neil Lennon is looking to make it eight SPL wins on the bounce and maintain a record going back to 1955 when Kilmarnock visit.
Boss wants eight SPL wins as well as to maintain Killie record
Neil Lennon is looking to make it eight SPL wins on the bounce and maintain a record going back to 1955 when Kilmarnock visit Celtic on Saturday.
The Ayrshire side have not won in the east end of Glasgow since December 1955 and are believed by many to be no more than a warm-up for the Hoops ahead of the crunch Old Firm game at Parkhead next Wednesday.
Celtic boss Lennon, whose side have moved within four points of leaders Rangers, was waiting for the 1955 statistic to be mentioned at a press conference in the run-up to the clash.
"Every time they come here I get asked that," he said. "Obviously it's a record that I would like to keep intact.
"We want to make it eight games in a row going into the Rangers game on the 28th.
"It is important to go into that game on the back of a win, just to maintain the run and keep the pressure on at the top of the table.
"The players are in buoyant mood at the minute without being complacent.
"I think we are playing well. Whether the players have hit the heights that they can I don't know, but there have been some great performances.
"Some individuals are playing at the top of their game at the moment. But the character of the team has pleased me the most.
"Seven wins in a row is not an easy achievement but the way they are playing at the minute, it is going to take a good team to stop us now.
"But there is a long way to go in the season."
Threat
While Killie have proved little of a threat at Celtic Park in the past half century and more, Lennon remembers all too well the fixture at Rugby Park in October.
The home side raced into a three-goal lead before the struggling visitors fought back to draw 3-3, a comeback which arguably kept the Northern Irishman in a job.
"I was still disappointed to score three goals and not win the game," said Lennon. "But to concede three goals in the manner in which we did was obviously concerning.
"I think we are a different animal now. In this run of wins you can pinpoint the games at Motherwell and Inverness as the start of when the confidence came into the team.
"We are at home and so we have good advantage but Kilmarnock are a dangerous team, they play very good football and they score goals as well.
"They have had some really good results this season already.
"They have beaten Rangers and they could easily have beaten us if we hadn't turned things round in the second half at Rugby Park.
"Kenny Shiels has been very shrewd in the players that he has brought in and he wants to play football, that is his philosophy.
"So that should make the game open and entertaining for the fans because we will play football as well."
