Celtic 4 - Aberdeen 0: Celts eye unbeaten run and cup treble
GARY MACKAY-STEVEN helped sweep chasing Aberdeen away – then insisted Celtic are aiming to go the rest of the season unbeaten in their domestic treble charge.
Gary Mackay-Steven wants Celtic to remain unbeaten for the rest of the season
The winger got on the scoresheet as Celtic hit their second-placed rivals for four at Parkhead yesterday.
The win was the perfect cure for their Europa League hangover and now the Hoops have their eyes on all three Scottish trophies.
They have gone six points clear in the league, with another game in hand, they play Dundee United in the quarter-finals of the Scottish Cup this weekend then play the same team the week after in the League Cup Final.
When asked if Celtic could keep their unbeaten 10-game run going for the season, Mackay-Steven said: “I don’t see why not. Aberdeen are second and we’ve just run out 4-0 winners against them.
“There is no reason why we can’t go on a run now and really get first place nailed down, maintain that lead at the top.
“The games are coming thick and fast but the only way this club knows is to win. That’s what I’ve bought into since I came here.
“We’ve another game on Wednesday against St Johnstone and we need to maintain the high levels we’ve shown.”
Mackay-Steven insists Celtic showed the character demanded by boss Ronny Deila against the Dons. He said: “I think it was a big statement. Every game for Celtic is big but this was a top-of-the-table clash, Aberdeen started the day only three points behind us.
“So it’s obviously a big statement. There is plenty of the season left, we’re only in March, but so far, so good. It was very pleasing. Today was a massive game for us, Aberdeen have been pushing us hard in second place, they’ve had a great season so far.
“So it was important to get the win today. And if we win on Wednesday, that’s us nine points clear. It’s a very big win for us.
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“Aberdeen, as I said, have had a great season. They’ve been on a great unbeaten run and they’re second for a reason – it’s been a great season.
“But we know the quality in the dressing room. And we showed that today.”
Mackay-Steven has hit the ground running, like Stuart Armstrong, since he left Dundee United in the last transfer window. He insisted that he has had to adjust to the pressure of playing at Celtic and having to win every game.
The Scotland cap knows it is a very different mentality.
He said: “Definitely that’s key. The club is used to winning, there is definitely a winning mentality in the dressing room.
“Second best is no use at Celtic. It’s all about winning.
“And we knew that if we started to play our football in the second half, it would show. Our quality would show.
“We created a lot of chances and it’s nice to score four against a team as strong as Aberdeen.
“You just need to look around the dressing room. I’ve only been here a short period of time, but so many of these guys have won everything with Celtic, won the league so many times.
“That rubs off on the new boys like myself. I want a taste of that myself this season, so hopefully we can keep going.
“Adjusting to that mentality is part of a move here. I knew before I came here that it’s a club who are used to winning, used to competing on all fronts every season.
“That’s one of the reasons I came here, to be part of that. Winning today was a huge boost for us.
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