Gutted Ryan Christie admits Celtic are “desperate” to get a result against Rangers this season despite the Ibrox side wrapping up the Premiership title with six games to spare.
The Hoops’ failure to overcome Dundee United on Sunday crowned Steven Gerrard’s men as champions with a massive 20-point lead over their Glasgow rivals.
Managerless Celtic are yet to beat the Gers this season and suffered back to back Old Firm defeats for the first time since 1997 when they lost in Govan at the start of the year.
Former boss Neil Lennon has stepped down since then, with John Kennedy now tasked with stopping the rot, however Christie says the Parkhead outfit now have a ‘point to prove’ in spoiling the Rangers title party when they arrive in Glasgow’s East End in a fortnight.
“We will be up for it because we are desperate to get a result against them this season,” he said after the goalless draw at Tannadice.
“That’s what we will be looking to do and that can spur us on until the end of the season.
"Every player, not just me, at the club is hurting and wants to put things right. Everybody has that champion’s mentality. That’s how we got to the position we have over the last four or five years.
“There is never a Glasgow derby when you don’t have a point to prove.”
While Celtic’s season has lurched from one shambles to another on and off the pitch, Rangers have been a model of consistency and could yet go the entire campaign unbeaten.
Defeat at Ross County - The Hoops’ fourth league reverse of the season - was the final straw for Lennon, but the side has now equalled the number of Premiership losses acquired when they lifted the trophy in the 2017/18 season and have one fewer than their total from the 18/19 title winning campaign.
Christie admitted he felt the gap between the two sides was not a fair reflection of their performances this season as he urged his teammates to go and prove it when the Gers arrive at Parkhead.
“It probably just comes to the amount of games where we have dominated and maybe not scored.
“And then we concede cheap goals at the other end and it comes down to fine margins.
"I probably wouldn’t say it’s a fair reflection, although, I’m a bit biased."
