AS responses to a bitterly disappointing performance and costly result go, it takes some beating.

A 5-0 victory over Dundee United eight days ago was – regardless of their opponents’ present struggles – a good way for Celtic to bounce back from their mauling by Molde.

The 2-1 defeat of Hearts at Tynecastle in the quarter-final of the League Cup on Wednesday night further increased the confidence of players who had been savaged after their capitulation in Norway.

The 3-1 win over an Aberdeen team which had, just a matter of weeks earlier, appeared more than capable of launching a challenge for their Premiership title at Celtic Park on Saturday was highly impressive.

Ronny Deila’s side forged six points clear at the head of the top flight table as a result and, given the standard of the showing against rivals who, at the time, were their nearest challengers, it is hard to see them surrendering that lead.

Crisis? What crisis?

Yet, the requirements at Celtic are such, the expectation of success so great, that the rehabilitation from the Molde reverse will only be complete if they can overcome their conquerors this week.

A loss, or even a draw, in the Group A rematch with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side at Celtic Park on Thursday evening will doubtless spark another hysterical reaction from the support and in the media.

Having been a member of the first team for five years now, James Forrest is conscious of the constant need to satisfy the demands of his club and their fans. He is confident that after three fine victories they can overcome the surprise package of Group A.

“We’ve had two really good performances in the Europa League,” he said. “You could say we were unlucky not to win the first two games. But we drew them and then had a bad performance in the third one. We are looking to rectify that on Thursday night.

“Over there we started well and it was promising for the first 10 minutes. Then they scored the goal and when we came out, they hit us on the counter a couple of times. We will be wary of that on Thursday and we’ll need to be at it from the first minute.

“It’s hard to put a finger on what went wrong. The first two games, we played differently. In the third game, the onus was on us to go and attack, unlike in the first two. We just need to keep our shape better and get right at them from the first minute.

“Everybody wrote Molde off right at the start, so credit to them for getting two wins and a draw. They’ll be buzzing after the first three games. We just want to make sure when they come here on Thursday that we get on top of them.”

The unavailability of Scott Brown – who is sidelined as a result of the knee injury which he sustained in the warm-up to the meeting with Hearts last week - on Thursday is unfortunate for Celtic.

Having said that, Deila’s side certainly fared alright without their captain and regular central midfielder against Aberdeen. Stefan Johansen dropped back alongside Nir Bitton once again and the team functioned with its usual efficiency in that department.

Forrest is confident the Scottish champions will be unaffected by the loss of their skipper. “Obviously, Broonie is a main man and when he plays everything goes through him,” he said.

“But we’ve done well without him in the last two games. We have good players to cover for him. Stefan and Nir have looked good in that position on Wednesday and Saturday.”

Forrest is also hopeful the presence of Jozo Simunovic, the Croatian centre half who missed the first match against Molde, will make a difference to Celtic. The £5.5 million signing is expected to be fit despite limping off and being replaced by Efe Ambrose at the weekend. “Jozo has settled in nicely,” he said. “He came in against Ajax away and did really well.”

Forrest himself has shown glimpses of the form which he first displayed after breaking through at Celtic this season and attributes that to the coaching and encouragement of a manager who has been heavily criticised of late.

“He’s been really good for me,” he said. “I’ve kicked on since the end of last season. It was really good for me in the last couple of months of it and I have kicked on again.

“We are on the same wavelength and he has been really good for a lot of the boys. He gives everybody their chance. He just wants us to do what we are doing and hopefully that’s what we’ll do in the next few games.”

Aberdeen are, after failing to win any of their last six games, no longer doing what they were in the opening eight league games when they collected maximum points. A Leigh Griffiths double and a Forrest strike killed off their challenge in Glasgow. Adam Rooney's late effort counted for nothing.

Centre half Mark Reynolds, though, remains optimistic they can halt their disappointing run when they host Dundee United at Pittodrie this weekend.

“There are periods when you just don’t get a break and can’t get a result,” he said. “You just need to keep working hard. We are a good team with good players and we stepped up for this big game.

“We don’t feel we are doing much wrong, but we are not scoring as many as we could and we are giving away cheap goals. If we keep doing that it will be a long old season, but we’ll get together and look forward to the game next week when hopefully we can get that win.”