Defiant Neil Lennon has dismissed claims that Celtic are a declining force after their home defeat to Rangers in December.
The Hoops were defeated on their own patch for the first time in nine years when Niko Katic rose above Kris Ajer to nod home the winner.
But Lennon has full confidence his side can bounce back given their quality and the experience accumulated over eight seasons as champions.
Probed about the notion that Celtic are set to be usurped as Scotland's top side, the Celtic boss snapped back: "I think it is very premature, yes.
"Looking at the league table I think we are still top of the league even though they have a game in hand.
"We won the (Betfred Cup) and up until then (the defeat to Rangers) we had won 11 (league) games in a row.
"So we are very positive about the second half of the season.
"So look, I can't control what other people think.
"You expect it sometimes off the back of a defeat but a lot of people over the years have been proven wrong."
Celtic have a squad that has been over the course many times before and the Hoops boss reckons that experience will stand them in good stead for the battles yet to be fought.
"That experience might stand them in good stead but every season is different," said the former Celtic captain, who revealed that Ivorian midfielder Ismaila Soro is undergoing a medical in Israel as he waits for a visa to be sorted to confirm his move from Bnei Yehuda .
"We have a good, strong, core of players in there who are winners and they won't want to give anything up lightly as we have seen already.
"So the second half of the season should be exciting.
"Killie are a tough nut to crack. There has been a change of manager twice and I think Alex Dyer might go back to the way they played previously.
"We are away from home, we know the venue is tough, we know the artificial surface isn't always conducive to playing the style of football that we like but we are aware of that so it will be difficult but it is one we are looking forward to."
