LARSSON: I'M ALMOST BACK

The Swedish star struck in Celtic's 3-1 win over Dunfermline on Saturday and he and manager Martin O'Neill believe that the Parkhead success helped the SPL leaders over a huge psychological hurdle after the painful defeat to Rangers last weekend.

Despite being the top scorer in British football this term, Larsson felt he was way short of the player he was before last season's leg break which took 10 months out of his career.

"I felt very good against Dunfermline and it has been a long time since I felt like that," said Larsson. "I felt good twisting and turning, with power to go forward and hold off defenders. It's up to me now to keep that form going."

Larsson is on target to better the 38 goals that he netted in 1998-99, but the striker would rather The Bhoys keep on collecting the points than him picked up the plaudits.

"This was a very important win after last weekend and we are pleased to get the three points," he added. "We are still top of the League and we will be doing everything we can to stay there, but we are only on December and there is a long way to go."

That is a cautious view shared by O'Neill, who - although glad to record a first win after dropping four points out of six to Rangers and Hibernian - reckons his jaded squad could do with freshening up.

That should come with the arrival of Neil Lennon from Leicester City this week, although the Celtic manager reported there was no news yet on his bid for the Northern Ireland midfielder.

"The players have done splendidly, and I told them on Saturday that they have done superbly since we started our first game away back in July," he said. "That seems like 12 years ago, but now it is up to us to get a few more people in.

"We have done really well so far but we are far from the finished article. There has been improvement and maybe that's down to me but I can't ask any more of these players.

"I was asking wingers (Petta and Agathe) to come back and do a full-back shift against Dunfermline and I had three midfielders who don't have a defensive bone in their bodies.

"I knew Dunfermline would cause us problems because its only a couple of weeks since they drew 0-0 with Rangers and I had them watched beating Hearts in midweek.

"At 2-1 it was never comfortable, and there was an edginess at times which transmitted itself from the crowd to the players."

O'Neill revealed that Chris Sutton is facing several weeks out with ankle and toe injuries which have stopped him training for almost a month.

"It was pointless asking Chris to go on because he has been going through the pain barrier to play for us in recent weeks and it has been getting to him.

"Tommy Johnson did well and his goal will help him. He is still short of match fitness but he has been unable to get a run in the side because Sutton and Larsson have done so well."