Celtic know truth deep down about the Rangers trip and no matter how fans try to spin it this is the reality

Celtic need to win at Ibrox on Sunday or it will take some of the shine off their Premiership title win.

Let’s just put it out there, because no matter how some Hoops fans try to spin it, this is the reality.

There will be plenty trying to punt the line about this being a dead rubber against Rangers, it doesn’t matter, blah, blah and so on.

Aye, very good.

Deep down they will know the opening line above is true – even if they won’t admit it publicly.

Derbies matter. In whatever context.

And in the context of this weekend, Brendan Rodgers' side certainly need a result against their nearest and dearest.

If they’d thumped Gers in the last couple of encounters then, yes, it probably would be a shrug of the shoulders job.

Ange Postecoglou’s side went down 3-0 at Ibrox after the league had been won a few years back and while it would have stung a tad, that one didn’t cause too much grief beyond the Monday bragging rights.

But this one is different. Celtic were skelped at Ibrox at New Year and then got hit with a sucker punch at Parkhead after battling back from a howling first half performance. Three derby defeats in a row would hurt.

Celtic won the League Cup Final back in December and no one should be lobbing that one into the mix, even if it was on penalties.

But that was another day when the Hoops only played in spells and it seemed Rangers had figured out how to hurt them.

Which is another reason they really need to turn up and flex this time. Otherwise there WILL be a bit of an edge taken off the title celebrations.

Look, even suggesting this clash is a must win – or must not lose – will have some folk up in arms given they’ve won the league by a country mile.

Of course, it would be extremely harsh – and daft – to