MURRAY DAVIDSON knows what it’s like to silence a Celtic Park crowd.
But the St Johnstone midfielder admits it will take something special to complete a hat trick of shock results in tonight’s rearranged Ladbrokes Premiership match.
Davidson, who has recovered from a bout of flu which wrecked his winter break, recalls bucking the odds to win in Glasgow’s East End two years ago and also back in 2011.
But he admits Brendan Rodgers’ record-chasing side are different proposition these days.
While summer arrivals Moussa Dembele and Scott Sinclair have sparkled, Davidson insists it’s rejuvenated warhorse Scott Brown who has steered Celtic to within 90 minutes of matching the Lisbon Lions’ 50-year-old 26-game unbeaten run.
Davidson said: “Every time I have seen him this year he has been the one driving them on. He is a big player for them. I don’t know what was up with him over the last couple of years but he is extremely influential again.
He has a massive part in the way Brendan Rodgers wants his Celtic side to play. I know Dembele and Sinclair have been making headlines but I’d rate Brown their best player.
“But they have such a big squad you can’t afford to focus on one player or you will come undone. We are just looking for a positive result for us.
It has nothing to do with stopping a Celtic record. They might be concentrating on that but it doesn’t affect us.”
Davidson knows St Johnstone have their work cut out tonight. He said: “I have played in a couple of wins at Celtic Park. When Dave Mackay scored our winner they actually got a penalty early on. We had been told to keep it tight and I remember looking up and seeing something like three minutes had gone. But Peter Enckelman saved from Kris Commons and we went on to win 1-0.
“Last year, Swanny scored a cracker and again we won 1-0. But this is a different proposition. It’s probably the strongest Celtic team for four or five years. It’s going to extremely tough but we have to go there and be confident we can put on a good show and get a result.
“It is such a big pitch it is impossible to defend for 90 minutes. So when we get possession we can’t afford to give it straight back to them. You have to make them work and go there and be organised. No one expects us to get anything. We have nothing to lose. From the outside everyone thinks it will be three points for Celtic.
“Maybe it suits our game when we go away and have to sit in a bit and hit on the break. We know we are capable because we have a good away record this season. We have got results at Pittodrie, Tynecastle and Ibrox but this is the biggest test of the lot.”
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