Ange Postecoglou has insisted the Scottish Premiership is NOT a two horse race between Celtic and Rangers.
The Celtic boss welcomes third-placed Hearts to Parkhead on Thursday night and Postecoglou insisted the Jambos are right in the fight for the Scottish crown.
And the Greek-Aussie reckons his side will blow their chances of regaining the title if they only focus on Rangers.
Celtic sit two points ahead of the Tynecastle side with a game in hand and trail their Ibrox but Postecoglou welcomed all-comers into a league dogfight whIch he has no interest in turning into an Old Firm duel.
He said: “Every game is a challenge. That’s where the priority is with me and if you start thinking you’re only involved in a two-horse race then there’s no doubt if it turns into a two-horse race then you will finish second.
“That’s because you’ve disregarded the rest of the field and I’m not going to do that and I haven’t done that. Let’s just keep our pistols in our holsters for a little while.
“Every game is a challenge, home or away. There are going to be things which happen within games. At the weekend against Aberdeen we started well and then you get a penalty awarded against you and there was a challenge within that game.
“If you start thinking you can just focus on next week or that this one is not for us this week then it doesn’t matter how many horses are in the race, you are definitely not going to finish first.
“I’m just not interested in people focusing on a two horse race as for me, every game is a challenge, particularly when games come thick and fast.
“I’m not going to disrespect any opponent and we’re not going to think any opponent is going to be any simpler a challenge for us to solve than any other. It’s the same three points and it’s all about putting those three points in the bank.”
Celtic will have Nir Bitton and Tom Rogic available for the Hearts showdown but Christopher Julilen remains sidelined and Postecoglou admits the Frenchman is still some way off a return.
He said: “He’s working away, he’s not close yet and when he gets close I’ll let people know but right now he’s just working away.”
